/ 


w 


REESE    LIBRARY 

OF    THE 

UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA. 

Received W^?_^£    _  .188 /_ 

Accessions  No./^2_?jf_  _  _          Shelf  No.  _  _ 


UNIFORM    WITH    THE    A  TLAS    SERIES. 


NEW    DEPARTURES 


IN 


COLLEGIATE  CONTROL 


AND 


CULTURE. 


REV.    CALEB   MILLS, 

EMERITUS    PROFESSOR    OF    GREEK,    VVABASH    COLLEGE,    IND. 


LIBRARY 

UNIVERS 

CALIFOKN'/A. 


A.   S.   BARNES   &    CO., 

NEW     YORK     AND     CHICAGO 
1880. 


REESE    LIBRARY 

OP   THB 

UNIVERSITY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

Received W!_  < 

Accessions  No. Z^^Z/^/.         SJulf  No., 


CONTENTS. 


I.  INTRODUCTION. 
II.  OPPORTUNITIES  AND  OVERSIGHTS. 

III.  INSPECTION  BY  TRUSTEES. 

IV.  SUB-DIVISION  OF  CLASSES. 
V.  MODERN  LANGUAGES. 

VI.  COLLEGE  OPTIONALS. 
VII.  LENGTH  OF  THE  COLLEGE  YEAR. 
VIII.  THE  BIBLE  :  A  COLLEGE  TEXT-BOOK.  . 


COPYRIGHT,  1880,  IJY  A.  S.  BARNES  &  Co. 


INTRODUCTORY   ^wx^. 


REV.  Caleb  Mills,  the  first  instructor,  and  for  nearly  forty  years, 
Professor  of  Greek  at  Wabash  College,  Indiana,  was  born  at  Dun- 
barton,  N.  H.  July  29th,  1806;  graduated  at  Dartmouth  College 
in  1828,  and,  at  Andover  Theological  Seminary,  in  1833.  He  had 
previously  spent  one  year  in  Kentucky  and  Southern  Indiana,  in 
Sunday  school  work,  and,  upon  removal  to  Crawfordsville,  Indiana, 
with  his  wife,  in  the  fall  of  1833,  he  combined  with  educational  Sun- 
day school  and  missionary  work,  most  earnest  labor  for  the  develop- 
ment of  that  common  school  system,  which  is  now  the  pride  of  In- 
diana, and  may  justly  recognize  him,  as  its  father. 

In  1846,  when  the  governors  message,  as  usual  at  that  date,  ig- 
nored common  schools,  Professor  Mills,  in  his  peculiarly  striking  and 
direct  method,  published  a  "  Message  to  the  Legislature"  signed, 
"  one  of  the  people"  This  was  followed  by  pithy  Annual  Messages, 
year  by  year,  until  he  became  state  superintendent  of  Education.  In 
that  relation,  as  well  as  in  that  of  college  officer,  he  impressed  his 
views  upon  the  people  of  that  state. 

A  keen  observer,  a  close  and  accurate  scholar,  genial  in  every  re- 
lation ;  modest,  but  courageous  ;  uniformly  conscientious,  and  su- 
premely ruled  by  the  fear  of  God  and  devotion  to  his  Saviour,  he  was 
marked  for  an  intense  yearning  for  the  highest  spiritual  and  mental 
culture  of  the  young  of  both  sexes,  as  the  hope  of  the  nation.  For 
the  young,  he  prayed  fervently,  a  few  hours  before  his  death. 

Declining  to  recognize  literary  titles,  which  were  repeatedly  ten- 
dered, he  was  not  without  appreciation  of  the  action  of  his  Alma 
Mater,  which  desired  his  acceptance  of  her  highest  honor,  at  his  ap- 
pearance on  the  fiftieth  commencement  day  after  his  graduation. 

One  who  was  closely  associated  with  him  for  nearly  nine  years, 
in  connection  with  Wabash  College,  and  was  at  his  side  as  he  passed 
away,  now  conforms  to  the  wish  expressed  by  him,  on  the  day  of  his 
decease,  October,  i/th,  1879,  and  no  less  tenderly  than  earnestly, 
superintends  the  publication  of  his  last  message  to  scholars  and  the 
people.  May  his  last  words  bless  ! 

HENRY  B.  CARRINGTON. 

CRAWFORDSVILLE  IND.  February,  1880. 


\  s  '. 


L  I  15  Iv'  A  k  y 

UNJ 


NEW   DEPARTURES 


IN 


COLLEGIATE  CONTROL  AND  CULTURE. 


HALF  a  century  has  passed  since  we  bade  our  Alma  Mater  a 
filial  good-bye,  and  turned  our  back  on  the  quiet  village  of  her 
residence,  to  face  the  stern  realities  of  coming  life.  The  semicenten- 
nial anniversary  of  graduation  furnished  an  opportunity  to  revisit  that 
locality,  and  recall  the  precious  memories  and  hallowed  associations  of 
college  life.  It  was  a  source  of  no  slight  satisfaction  to  witness  the 
tokens  of  progress  in  her  physical  equipment  and  surroundings,  and 
note  the  evidence  of  a  corresponding  improvement  in  her  literary 
culture  and  curriculum.  Proofs  of  the  latter  were  no  less  manifest 
and  gratifying  than  marks  of  the  former,  both  challenging  the  notice 
of  the  graduate  of  fifty  years  ago. 

A  like  change  and  advance  are  doubtless  true,  to  a  greater  or  less 
degree,  of  all  her  compeers  both  in  and  out  of  New  England.  One 
of  the  most  striking  and  pleasant  features  of  the  picture  to  us,  was 
the  contrast  in  the  text-books,  linguistic  and  mathematical,  of  the  first 
quarter  of  the  current  century  and  those  now  in  use.  Webber's 
mathematics  and  Grceca  Majora  gave  place  to  better  substitutes,  at 
Harvard  and  Yale,  at  an  earlier  date  than  at  some  of  their  rural 
sisters.  Yet  even  in  those  venerable  seats  of  learning,  they  lingered 
far  too  long.  The  improvement  in  text-books  during  the  interven- 
ing period  has  been  greatly  surpassed  by  a  superior  advance  in  the 
collateral  helps,  both  Grammatical  and  Lexicographical.  Hachen- 
burg  has  been  displaced  by  Crosby  and  Hadley.  Old  Schrevelius 
has  gracefully  retired  in  favor  of  Liddell  and  Scott,  and  his  cousin 
Ainsworth  has  wisely  followed  the  example  in  yielding  his  scepter  to 
Andrews  and  White.  Old  Lindley  Murray  has  been  totally  eclipsed 
by  the  superior  orbs  that  now  illuminate  the  grammatical  heavens. 
Whether  his  rays  were  obscured  or  absorbed  by  the  superior  efful- 


2  NEW   DEPARTURES   IN 

gence  of  Brown  or  Maetsner,  it  matters  not,  they  no  longer  reach 
our  vision.  Webster  of  the  first  third  of  the  century,  and  Webster 
"  unabridged,"  in  likeness,  have  the  comparative  resemblance  of 
childhood  and  maturity. 

The  present  programmes  of  culture,  with  their  appropriate  corps 
of  superior  aids,  are  enough  to  make  even  a  septuagenarian  wish 
himself  a  minor,  "  under  tutors  and  governors."  No.  We  recall 
that  wish  and  accept  our  lot  and  mission.  We  are  not,  indeed,  the 
men  we  would  have  been,  had  our  efforts  been  aided  by  the  literary 
helps  and  guides  of  the  current  age,  yet  it  is  pleasant  to  reflect  that 
the  results  of  the  last  generation's  mission,  even  under  all  their  dis- 
advantages and  lack  of  appropriate  aids,  are  neither  few  nor  small,  and 
it  will  become  the  future  Sillimans,  Marshes  and  Lewises  to  look  well 
to  their  line  and  degree  of  effort,  lest  they  may  seem  to  come  short 
of  even  an  equal  measure  of  eminence  and  usefulness  to  the  race, 
with  their  noble  predecessors. 

These  historical  incidents  are,  perhaps,  the  natural  and  appropri- 
ate precursors  as  well  as  suggestive  of  the  inquiry,  is  there  not  still 
some  occasion  for  additional  progress  in  the  line  of  new  departures  ? 
Recent  observation  and  inquiry  only  serve  to  confirm  the  impres- 
sions that  have  long  been  crystallized  into  settled  conviction  that 
there  is  yet  not  a  little,  that  might  wisely  be  done  in  the  direction 
of  giving  to  our  system  of  higher  culture  a  little  more  stamina, 
symmetry  and  completeness.  While,  in  some  departments,  deficien- 
cies of  olden  times  have  been  supplied,  progress  substantial  and 
valuable  has  been  made,  and  hope  awakened  that  still  greater  may 
be  reached  by  similar  wisdom  and  persistency  of  effort,  yet  in  others, 
evils  that  existed  and  attracted  attention  fifty  years  ago,  are  found, 
in  a  great  measure  unredressed  and  undiminished  in  all  the  disas- 
trous potency  of  their  influence. 

The  memory  of  college  life  experience,  half  a  century  since,  has 
lost  but  little  of  its  vividness  and  power,  confirmed  and  intensified 
as  it  has  been,  by  subsequent  and  current  observation.  Convictions 
then  reached  by  the  inexorable  logic  of  personal  experience,  have 
been  clammering  for  utterance,  audience  and  consideration,  till 
silence  seem  no  longer  wise  or  tolerable.  Evils,  whether  moral,  social 
or  political,  will  ultimately  force  themselves  to  the  front,  and  demand, 
at  the  bar  of  public  opinion,  both  recognition  and  redress.  Institu- 
tions like  individuals  may  fall  into  the  ruts  of  evil  habits,  tolerate 
shameful  abuses  and  even  gross  wrong,  till  they  have  seemingly  be- 


COLLEGIATE  CONTROL  AND   CULTURE.  3 

come  oblivious  both  of  their  true  character  and  existence.  The 
blinding  influence  of  immemorial  usages  and  the  soporific  power  of 
self-indulgence  have  contributed  much  to  prolong  the  days  of  that 
ignorance  in  which  youth  were  defrauded  of  no  small  share  of  that 
literary  culture,  to  which  their  time,  efforts  and  funds  justly  entitled 
them.  Let  such  usages,  if  they  can  offer  no  other  plea  for  tolera- 
tion than  time  honored  custom,  be  relegated  to  the  ages  in  which 
they  had  their  origin,  and  let  that  long  slumber  of  apparently  pro- 
found indifference  to  the  claims  of  justice  and  the  demands  of  equity, 
be  broken  by  such  an  outburst  of  popular  indignation  as  will  not 
only  open  the  eyes  of  the  transgressors  and  their  abettors,  but  also, 
make  their  very  ears  tingle.  If  any  one  wishes  to  have  his  convic- 
tion of  the  reality  and  grossness  of  some  of  these  hoary  abuses  in- 
tensified, and  his  righteous  indignation  awakened  at  the  tolerance  of 
short  comings  and  official  dereliction  in  the  direction  above  named, 
let  him  read  the  Report  of  the  Royal  Commissioners  appointed  to 
inquire  into  the  state,  discipline,  studies,  and  revenues  of  the  Uni- 
versity and  College  of  Oxford,  760  pp.  folio,  1852,  and  supplement 
its  perusal  by  a  careful  study  of  "  The  Recommendations  of  the  Ox- 
ford Commissioners  with  Selections  from  their  Report,"  by  J.  Hey- 
wood,  M.  P.  and  also  the  able  articles  on  the  above  Document  in 
six  of  the  large  prominent  English  Quarterlies  and  two  of  our  own.* 

The  unearthing  of  these  hoary  abuses  and  their  exposure  to  the 
sunshine  of  public  inspection  and  comment  have  led  to  valuable  re- 
sults, not  so  much,  perhaps,  in  the  line  of  immediate  modification 
and  radical  correction,  as  in  arresting  the  downward  progress  of 
things  at  that  ancient  seat  of  learning  and  paving  the  way  for  sub- 
stantial reform  there  and  elsewhere,  at  no  distant  day.  While  these 
reforms  in  the  English  Universities  are  advancing  with  the  slow  and 
conservative  progress  so  characteristic  of  that  People,  it  may  not  be 
unwise,  nor  inappropriate,  to  institute  a  few  inquiries  into  some  an- 
tique customs  in  American  Colleges. 

The  progress  made  in  collegiate  culture  and  curriculum  in  this 
country,  during  the  last  fifty  years,  indicates  a  willingness  to  look 
squarely  in  the  face,  usages  of  equivocal  character,  whenever  shown 

*  Westminster  Review,  vol.  58.  1852,  pp.  317-48.  North  British  Review,  vol.  18.  1852, 
pp.  1-38.  British  Review,  vol.  16.  1852,  pp.  287-366.  Edinburgh  Review,  vol.  96.  1852, 
pp.  232-88.  Quarterly  Review,  vol.  93*  1853,  pp.  153-238.  Dublin  Review,  vol.  36, 
37.  1852,  pp.  65.  North  American  Review,  vol.  76.  1852,  pp.  87.  Princeton  Review,  vol. 
26.  1854,  pp.  497-535- 


4  NEW  DEPARTURES   IN 

to  be  in  conflict  with  the  interests  of  the  Student,  the  obligations  of 
the  Professor  or  the  duty  of  the  Trustee.  A  clear  and  distinct  recog- 
nition of  the  threefold  elements  in  that  entity,  termed  a  college,  is 
essential  to  a  wise  discernment  of  its  true  mission  and  the  best 
method  of  its  accomplishments.  All  hopes  of  a  successful  issue  rest 
on  the  judicious  combination,  candid  sympathy  and  harmonious 
action  of  these  triple  agents.  Each  must  understand  his  own  sphere, 
responsibilities  and  possibilities,  and  all  address  themselves  to  their 
appropriate  work,  with  a  purpose  and  principle  that  will  command 
as  well  as  merit  success. 

The  purpose  of  this  paper  is  to  call  attention  to  some  features  of 
current  collegiate  experience  and  usages  that  seem  to  furnish  a 
proper  basis  for,  as  well  as  demand  discussion,  and  also,  throw  out 
some  suggestions  in  the  direction  of  New  Departures  for  the  consid- 
eration of  those  more  immediately  concerned.  A  board  of  associated 
effort  and  trust  is  the  nucleus  of  all  collegiate  enterprise,  and  around 
this  gravitates,  in  the  natural  order  of  sequence,  a  faculty  and  stu- 
dents. This  control  and  its  associated  elements  constitute  an  insti- 
tution which,  once  created,  retains  its  existence  and  maintains  its 
activities  through  a  series  of  agents,  whose  connection  with  it  is 
more  or  less  temporary.  The  work  goes  on  though  the  workmen 
change.  The  governmental  power  and  control  remain  unimpaired, 
though  the  individual  administrators  do  not  continue,  by  reason  of 
age.  The  instruction  is  continuous  and  progressive  according  to  the 
type  and  attainments  of  the  successive  occupants  of  the  professional 
chairs.  The  student  element  also,  is  subject  to  an  annual  elimina- 
tion of  one  fourth  of  its  amount  and  a  supplemental  substitution  of 
a  like  volume  of  fresh  material.  This  quadrennial  change  of  the 
entire  student  element,  indicates  the  period  of  tutorial  culture.  The 
success,  growth,  and  perpetuity  of  the  Institution  depends  on  the 
clear  perception,  by  these  three  parties,  of  their  respective  reciprocal 
duties  and  relations,  and  a  corresponding  purpose  to  be  true  to 
their  several  trusts  and  obligations. 

OPPORTUNITIES   AND   OVERSIGHTS. 

There  are  chapters  in  human  experience,  both  individual  and 
associated,  of  no  inconsiderable  extent  and  significance.  More  im- 
pressive illustrations  of  the  verity  of  the  remark  cannot  be  found 
than  those  often  occurring  in  the  sphere  of  collegiate  supervision  and 


COLLEGIATE  CONTROL  AND  CULTURE.  5 

culture.  College  boards  of  control,  whether  perpetuated  by  a  life 
tenure,  or  a  periodical  election,  often  take  far  too  limited  and  super- 
ficial a  view  of  the  extent  and  character  of  their  charges.  Restrict- 
ing their  responsibilities  to  the  increase,  supervision  and  preservation 
of  the  funds,  filling  vacancies  in  their  own  body  and  the  corps  of 
instructors,  and  witnessing  the  graduating  exercises  of  each  succes- 
sive class,  they  seem  to  regard  an  annual  session  of  a  closing  hour, 
(not  unfrequently  less,)  as  the  full  extent  of  the  college  claims  on 
their  time  and  attention.  Is  this  all  that  the  prosperity  and  welfare 
of  the  institution  can  justly  claim  at  the  hands  of  its  trustees  ?  Are 
they  not  in  the  highest  sense  the  guardians  of  the  students  as  well 
as  the  custodians  of  the  funds  ?  Do  they  not  make  the  laws  and 
appoint  the  lower  court,  reserving  to  themselves  appellate  jurisdic- 
tion in  the  last  resort  ?  Have  their  wards  no  claim  on  them  for 
paternal  notice,  counsel  and  sympathy  ?  Could  they  not  materially 
benefit  the  youth,  in  charge,  by  the  provision  for  the  delivery  of,  at 
least,  one  or  more  annual  lectures,  by  one  of  their  number,  shortly 
after  the  opening  of  the  college  year,  in  which  the  mutual  relations 
of  the  Board,  Faculty  and  Students  would  be  so  portrayed  as  to 
correct  many  of  the  misconceptions  which  are  so  often  industriously 
inculcated  and  fostered  by  the  wayward  and  perverse,  to  create  and 
perpetuate  an  antagonism  between  students  and  teachers  ?  Would 
not  such  a  manifestation  of  paternal  interest,  such  utterance  of  wis- 
dom, such  an  exhibition  of  sympathy,  such  lessons  of  experience  do 
much  to  forestall  transgression,  neutralize  the  influence  of  indolence 
and  vice,  found  at  these  seats  of  learning  as  well  as  in  other  organiza- 
tions of  society,  inspire  and  strengthen  good  resolutions,  develop  and 
mature  that  manliness  of  character  whose  basis  is  loyalty  to  truth 
and  implicit  obedience  to  laws  ?.  Would  not  an  annual  visit  of  a  com- 
mittee of  the  trustees,  not  only  to  lecture  and  express  to  the  stu 
dents  the  kind  regards  of  the  Board,  but  also  to  go  into  the  recita- 
tions and  witness  the  tact,  fidelity  and  competence  of  the  teachers, 
as  well  as  take  the  gage  of  student  industry  and  attainment,  be  pro- 
ductive of  valuable  results,  as  well  as  suggestive  of  past  short-comings? 
The  inauguration  of  such  a  policy  would  be  not  only  a  New 
Departure  of  happy  omen,  but  become  a  power  for  good  of  no 
ordinary  type  and  promise.  Such  a  supervisory  programme  carried 
out  in  good  faith,  with  firmness  and  practical  wisdom,  would  be  the 
introduction  of  a  new  era  in  collegiate  oversight  and  culture,  a  sup- 
plemental element  of  great  potency  and  significance,  not  only 


O  NEW   DEPARTURES   IN 

reenforcing  the  influence  and  stimulating  the  zeal  and  activity  of  the 
professional  corps,  but,  also,  calling  into  practical  use  the  rich  stores 
of  experience  and  observation  hitherto  untaxed  by  the  Board  in  the 
line  of  their  own  official  duties.  Such  cooperation  on  the  part  of 
trustees  would  do  much  to  nip  emeutes  in  the  bud  and  render  re- 
bellion obsolete.  Such  introspection  and  knowledge  of  the  educa- 
tional machinery  in  charge,  such  manifestation  of  sympathy  with 
employees,  such  lessons  of  experimental  wisdom,  imparted  with  pa- 
ternal frankness  and  love,  to  the  youth  gathered  under  their  super- 
intending care  and  culture,  could  not  fail  to  be  appreciated  by  both 
pupil  and  patron,  and  prove  potent  incentives  to  patient  continu- 
ance in  the  way  of  honest  endeavor. 

Is  not  the  suggestion  worthy  of  an  appropriate  and  honest  ex- 
periment ?  Shall  the  New  Departure,  so  rich  in  promise,  ga  untested, 
on  the  ground  of  being  too  severe  a  draft  on  the  time  and  literary 
resources  of  the  Board?  Shall  the  proffered  results  be  declined  for 
want  of  pluck,  patience  and  effort  to  win  them  ?  Most  gladly  would 
we  have  listened  to  such  annual  utterance  by  the  wise  ones  on  the 
Board  of  our  Alma  Mater,  fifty  years  ago.  We  are  willing  to  pledge, 
even  in  advance,  to  all  such  visiting  committees,  a  most  cordial  recep- 
tion, earnest  audience  and  hearty  thanks  from  our  younger  brothers 
at  the  old  homestead,  with  the  confident  belief  that  a  like  reception 
would  be  accorded  to  a  simular  mission  to  each  and  all  the  colleges  of 
the  land.  Shall  the  youth  gathered  therein  be  cheered  by  the  pres- 
ence and  uttered  wisdom  of  such  a  deputation  ?  Let  me  ask  the  col- 
legiate "  Head  Centers"  of  the  country,  what  more  productive  soil 
could  be  desired  on  which  to  cast,  with  liberal  hand,  the  abundant  seed 
of  their  rich  experience  and  observation  ?  Bread  cast  on  such  waters 
must  not  only  be  found  after  many  days  but  in  rich  abundance. 

Such  lectures  would  be  a  happy  medium  through  which  to 
counsel  and  encourage  honest  seekers  after  knowledge,  and  also,  to 
throw  out  suggestions  that  would  not  be  amiss  elsewhere  ;  for  even 
Faculties,  though  elected  ones,  the  very  elite  of  literature  and 
science,  are  not  always  exempt  from  infirmities,  short-comings  and 
crotchets.  No  more  felicitous  method  could  be  devised  to  reach 
drones,  touch  up  the  laggard,  and  infuse  new  life  into  the  whole 
team.  Such  a  quasi  inspection  would  become  as  goads,  and  its 
stimulating  effect  would  be  felt  along  the  whole  line,  from  the  non- 
commissioned to  the  field  officers,  as  well  as  through  the  rank  and 
file.  The  harvest  from  such  a  sowing  would  be  rich  and  abundant. 


COLLEGIATE  CONTROL  AND  CULTURE.  7 

In  fields  thus  cultivated  there  would  be  much  less  of  the  ravages  of 
the  rust  of  indolence,  and  under  such  a  system  of  subsoiling,  drain- 
age and  dressing,  the  mildew  of  lawlessness,  intemperance  and  riot 
would  be  much  less  frequent  and  devastating. 

Nothing  would  be  productive  of  happier  consequences  than  such 
a  frequent  and  fraternal  intercourse  between  College  Boards  of  ad- 
ministration and  instruction.  The  introduction  of  such  a  policy  and 
practice  would  soon  manifest  its  wisdom  in  a  more  intimate  acquaint- 
ance and  cordial  sympathy  between  the  members  of  these  two 
bodies,  and  be  followed  by  blessings  to  those  under  their  charge,  as 
rich  and  lasting  as  the  lack  of  them  has  often  been  signalized  by 
results  of  the  opposite  character. 

What  more  appropriate  means  of  reaching  these  ends  than  such 
an  annual  visitation  of  a  live  representation  of  the  Board  ?  What 
more  fitting  opportunity  for  full  and  frank  interchange  of  views  and 
mutual  suggestion,  in  the  line  of  wise  administration  and  faithful  in- 
struction could  be  desired,  than  such  periodic  conferences  ?  Both 
parties  would  be  refreshed,  thereby,  and  be  prompted  to  address 
themselves  to  their  respective  duties  and  fields  of  labor  with  new  zeal, 
wiser  heads  and  warmer  hearts.  Both  would  gather  fresh  material 
for  thought  from  such  fraternal  interviews,  and  be  able  to  embody 
in  their  respective  reports,  richer  stores  of  wisdom  and  practical 
knowledge. 

These  annual  reports  of  the  visiting  Committee  and  the  Aca- 
demic Staff  would  furnish  ample  means  for  an  intelligent  insight 
into  the  real  status  and  progress  of  the  Institution  in  charge.  Let 
each  member  of  the  Faculty  report  the  year's  work  in  his  own  depart- 
ment, embracing  statistics  of  labor  bestowed  and  time  spent  in  daily 
instruction,  as  well  as  of  student  attainment  and  deportment.  Such 
documents  would  bring  distinctly  to  the  view  of  each  member  of  the 
Board  the  actual  state  of  both  discipline  and  instruction.  They 
would  also,  be  valuable  material  for  an  intelligent  estimate  of  each 
man's  worth  and  work,  and  prove  far  more  satisfactory  and  reliable 
than  the  general  grouping  of  ordinary  exposes  of  college  labor  and 
student  character  and  culture. 

It  would  injure  no  teacher's  character  to  subject  its  grow th  and 
development  to  an  annual  inspection.  It  might,  indeed,  have  the 
happiest  bearing  both  on  him  and  his  reputation,  and  be  crowned 
with  valuable  results,  either  in  the  elimination  of  serious  deficiencies, 
or,  the  subject  of  them.  This  new  process  would  relieve  moss  backs 


8  NEW  DEPARTURES  IN 

of  much  of  their  parasitical  covering  and  prevent  all  future  accumu- 
lations. The  policy  and  practice,  in  an  analogous  relation,  of  one  of 
the  leading  bodies  of  the  Protestant  faith,  are  highly  suggestive  and 
wise.  Indolent  professors,  who  declare  that,,  for  the  last  ten  years, 
they  have  not  looked  at  their  lessons  before  going  to  their  recitations, 
not  only  betray  their  lack  of  wisdom  and  conscience,  but,  also,  pro- 
claim themselves  fit  subjects  for  a  well  known  algebraic  process. 
While  Dr.  Arnold's  example, — that  prince  of  teachers, — fails  either 
to  shame  or  reform  men,  whom  neither  ambition  nor  principle  can 
inspire  with  any  higher  motive  power  than  the  quarterly  distribution 
of  their  annual  stipend,  this  side  track  of  a  new  departure  migfrt, 
perhaps,  furnish  a  happy  method  of  switching  off  some  of  these 
empty,  or  half  laden  cars,  to  the  great  relief  of  the  freight  moving 
power,  and  the  business  interests  of  the  country. 

Among  the  grave  short  comings  of  college  administration,  may 
be  named,  a  lack  of  wise  and  timely  discipline,  not  unfrequently  so 
manifest  and  gross  as  to  provoke  the  comment  of  both  students  and 
outsiders.  The  prevalence  of  riot  and  rowdyism  of  every  degree 
and  type  in  colors,  is  justly  attributed  to  the  feebleness,  or  laxity  of 
the  powers  in  charge.  The  true  purpose  of  college  government  is 
happily  expressed  by  the  famous  master  of  Rugby.  "  It  is  not 
necessary  that  Rugby  should  have  three  hundred,  or  two  hundred 
and  fifty,  or  even  one  hundred  scholars,  but  it  is  necessary  that  she 
should  have  gentlemen."  The  spirit  of  that  declaration  should  per- 
vade college  faculties  and  find  manifestation  in  such  firm  and  wise 
discipline  as  will  ensure  prompt  elimination  of  all  indolent  and  vic- 
ious members  of  such  communities,  irrespective  of  their  social  posi- 
tions. Trustees,  also,  should  know  whether  their  employees  are  in 
sympathy  with  the  aforesaid  utterance,  veritable  vertibrates,  or  be- 
long to  the  molusk  species. 

Here  it  seems  to  be  both  pertinent  and  proper  to  enquire,  are 
such  trusts  always  administered  to  the  full  extent  of  the  wisdom  and 
ability  of  those,  who,  by  the  acceptance  of  the  position,  pledge 
themselves  to  unswerving  fidelity  ?  Would  not  many  of  them  be 
both  startled,  and  stimulated  to  greater  activity,  to  be  well  posted  in 
the  actual  status  of  their  charge,  not  only  of  its  financial  condition, 
but,  also,  of  the  competency  and  faithfulness  of  their  employees,  as 
well  as  the  character,  proficiency  and  promise  of  its  students,  at 
least,  at  the  close  of  each  annual  stage  of  their  progress,  were  their 
venerable  founders  and  benefactors,  like  Moses  and  Elijah,  to  stand 


COLLEGIATE  CONTROL  AND  CULTURE.  9 

in  their  presence,  and  ask,  "  Are  you  making  the  colleges  all  that  you 
would  justly  expect,  and  indeed,  demand  of  us,  were  we  to  exchange 
our  relationship  to  them  ?  "  The  responsibility  of  Boards  of  Control 
in  these  several  particulars  is  none  the  less,  for  the  want  of  such  stimu- 
lating interviews.  The  claim  is  as  real,  valid  and  pressing,  as  though 
audibly  urged  by  those  worthies,  and  should  be  so  recognized. 

We  are  happy  to  notice  in  a  Western  catalogue  of  the  current 
year,  in  immediate  connection  with  the  names  of  the  Trustees,  a 
schedule  of  "  Standing  Committees"  a  suggestive  fact,  indicative  of 
progress,  and  that  too.  in  the  right  direction.  May  it  prove  like  the 
little  cloud  to  the  prophet's  servant  on  the  top  of  Carmel,  and  con- 
tinue to  enlarge,  till  the  heavens  are  black  with  the  signs  of  abun- 
dance of  rain,  and  the  collegiate  Ahabs  are  put  to  the  top  of  their 
speed  to  keep  ahead  of  the  storm. 

The  Institution  that  promptly  takes  this  New  Departure,  will  soon  • 
show  her  laggard  compeers  the  folly  of  that  conservatism  which  cannot 
get  out  of  the  ruts  of  immemorial  usage,  for  fear  that  the  M'Adam- 
ised  road  of  human  progress  might  provoke  an  increased  speed,  and 
thus  disturb  the  sing-song  serenity  of  the  driving  Dons  and  wake  up 
the  sleepy  passengers.  This  utterance  does  not  claim  the  character 
and  dignity  of  a  prophecy,  yet  it  will  doubtless  prove  such  a  fore- 
shadowing of  the  future  as  will  be  followed  by  sequences  that 
will  challenge  the  attention,  and  command  the  cordial  approval  of 
every  lover  of  truth  and  progress.  Trustees  that  have  not  the 
shrewdness  to  appreciate,  the  enterprise  and  courage  to  make  such 
departures  from  the  old  beaten  track  of  former  usage,  must  not 
expect  large  dividends  from  their  investments,  nor  be  surprised  to 
find  themselves  distanced  in  the  race  for  patronage  and  approval, 
by  those  who  recognize  the  demands  of  current  experience  and  pro- 
gress. 

We  could  never  understand,  when  in  college,  nor  have  we  yet 
thereunto  attained,  why  our  Professors  were  not  required  to  spend 
more  than  two  hours  per  day  in  the  recitation  room,  nor  why  the 
classes  were  not  divided  into  sections  of  a  dozen  or  fifteen  each,  for 
instruction,  instead  of  receiving  their  entire  training,  in  masses,  of 
forty  or  fifty ;  unless,  forsooth,  it  be  the  fact,  that  the  wisdom  of 
such  sectional  method  of  collegiate  instruction  had  not  yet  been  born, 
and  consequently  its  light  had  not  dawned  on  the  Corps  of  Control 
or  the  Academic  Staff.  This  evil  is  one  that  demands  immediate 
attention  and  redress.  It  is  a  gross  wrong,  nay,  an  intolerable  abuse, 


10  NEW   DEPARTURES   IN 

which  still  lingers,  with  but  very  slight  modification,  in  most,  if  not 
all  of  our  Colleges,  to  the  present  day.  It  is  nothing  else  than  a 
custom  that  has  come  down  from  previous  generations  with  no 
other  endorsement  than  "  immemorial  usage."  It  is  a  marvel  that  it 
has  not  long  since  received  the  attention  that  it  deserved,  and  been 
numbered  among  the  things  that  were,  and  are  not.  Strange,  in- 
deed, that  it  has  been  tolerated  so  long,  and  is  even  still  permitted 
to  stand,  with  unblushing  front,  on  the  threshold  of  the  last  quarter 
of  the  nineteenth  century,  unrebuked  and  unabated  as  an  educational 
nuisance,  still  claiming  prescriptive  rights. 

Our  college  wonder,  seems,  in  its  popular  manifestation,  to  be 
somewhat  of  a  Janus  faced  type,  and  whether  ultimate  analysis  would 
resolve  it  into  one  or  two  elements  we  shall  not  attempt  to  decide, 
for  we  do  not  propose  to  push  inquiry  in  that  direction,  but  leave 
the  solution  of  this  problem  to  the  sagacity  of  the  public,  after  due 
consideration  of  the  facts  presented.  Whatever  may  be  the  primary 
and  fundamental  causes  of  this  unmitigated  and  unredressed  wrong, 
whether  the  careless  and  culpable  oversight  of  the  Trustees,  or  the 
Professorial  adjusted  programme  of  self-imposed  labor,  or  the  two 
combined,  we  leave  to  the  wisdom  of  the  court  to  which  the  case  is 
submitted.  The  popular  grievances  and  charge  might  be  appro- 
priately formulated,  thus. 

First.  A  shameless  imposition  on  the  Parent,  and  a  gross  injus- 
tice to  the  Student. 

The  parent,  when  he  sends  his  son  to  college,  expects  that  he  will 
receive  all  the  attention,  sympathy  and  counsel  that  the  connection 
may  justly  claim,  and  be  taught  in  such  a  manner  as  to  thoroughly 
test  his  capacity,  develop  and  discipline  his  powers,  to  the  fullest  ex- 
tent. Nothing,  short  of  this,  meets  the  necessities  of  the  case  and 
measures  the  extent  of  the  pledge,  implied  in  the  relation  formed  by 
that  connection.  Nothing,  less,  does  the  parent  and  the  public 
demand,  and  the  Institution  that  does  not,  by  wise  and  adequate 
provision,  substantially  redeem  this  pledge,  should  go  into  speedy 
liquidation,  on  the  ground  of  bankruptcy  of  good  faith.  The  mag- 
nitude of  the  evil  and  the  character  of  the  wrong  are  not  as  clearly 
perceived,  nor  as  fully  appreciated,  by  either  the  victims  or  the 
public,  as  the  interests  at  stake  demand.  It  is  high  time,  indeed, 
that  both  were  more  thoroughly  ventilated  and  the  head  light  of 
public  scrutiny  and  reprobation  was  thrown  down  the  track  of  this 
hoary  abuse  of  popular  confidence  and  parental  trust. 


COLLEGIATE  CONTROL  AND  CULTURE.  II 

The  father,  in  the  simplicity  of  his  faith  in  the  fidelity  of  those  to 
whom  he  has  intrusted  the  education  of  his  son,  toils  on  in  patient 
endurance  and  practice  of  self-denial,  and  not  unfrequently,  also,  of 
great  personal  sacrifice,  to  raise  the  means  to  meet  the  expense  of 
that  culture  which  he  fondly  hopes  will  both  make  his  son  all  that 
his  capacity  will  admit  of,  and  become  the  richest  legacy  that  a  father's 
love  could  devise.  Though  he  may  die  in  blessed  ignorance  of  the 
deception  practised  on  him,  yet  that  imposition  is  none  the  less  real, 
flagrant  and  deplorable. 

The  student,  in  his  youthful  inexperience  and  ignorance,  has  not 
the  slightest  suspicion,  at  the  time,  either  of  the  actual  character  or 
extent  of  the  imposition,  of  which  his  father  is  the  special  victim  and 
himself  the  unhappy  medium,  nor  does  the  conviction  of  its  reality, 
consequences  and  curse  become  distinct  and  overwhelming,  till,  per- 
haps, some  chance  retrospect  from  the  long  vista  of  a  laborious  life 
reveals  its  legitimate  results.  The  light  thus  shed  on  his  path 
through  this  rift  in  the  clouds  of  life's  countless  cares,  labors  and 
perplexities,  reveals  the  real  and  underlying  cause  of  many  of  the 
failures  and  disappointments  in  his  past  career.  He  now  discovers 
that  he  is  not,  either  morally  or  mentally,  what  he  would  have  been, 
had  Trustees  met  their  responsibilities  and  Teachers  done  their  duty. 
Such  retrospects  awaken  sad  memories,  reveal  direful  sequences,  and 
provoke  countless  maledicions,  unuttered,  or  expressed,  on  the  heads 
of  those  responsible  for  such  disasters.  This  is  no  fancy  sketch. 
Would  that  it  were.  Its  truth  and  substantial  reality  will  be  recog- 
nized by  thousands  living,  and  has  been  the  theme  of  like  utterance 
of  many  departed  ones. 

The  pupil's  claims  are  as  imperious  as  the  teacher's  duties,  and 
the  former's  rights  are  but  the  counterparts  of  the  latter' s  obliga- 
tions. The  high  contracting  parties,  back  of  the  pupils  and  in- 
structors, are  the  Trustees  and  Parent  or  Guardian.  The  Faculty, 
represents  the  former  and  the  Student  the  latter.  These  are  the 
factors  in  the  solution  of  the  problem.  It  is  painfully  evident  from 
the  past  and  present  status  of  our  colleges,  that  the  mutual  obliga- 
tion and  relations  of  the  said  parties  are  not  as  clearly  recognized 
and  fully  met  as  they  ought  to  be.  It  is  with  no  feelings  of  complac- 
ency with  the  past,  in  this  direction,  but  rather  of  suppressed  in- 
dignation at  the  obliquity  that  underlies,  and  is,  the  legitimate  cause 
of  such  numerous  wrecks  of  parental  hopes,  that  we  now  proceed  to 
adduce  the  evidence  that  the  second  item  of  the  first  allegation  is  a 


12  NEW   DEPARTURES   IN 

grave  reality,   a  burden  too  grievous  to  be    longer    borne  by  the 
shoulders  on  which  it  now  rests. 

The  students  introduction  to  his  future  Alma  Mater  has  charac- 
teristics and  results  of  a  peculiar  type.  The  impressions  created  by 
his  first  interview  with  the  venerable  President  and  his  learned  assoc- 
iates are  both  vivid  and  permanent.  To  his  inexperienced  eye, 
they  seem  the  very  embodiments  of  unmeasured  wisdom  and  knowl- 
edge, and  moving  in  spheres  so  far  removed  and  above  the  plane  of 
his  orbit  that  he  regards  them  with  mingled  feelings  of  reverence 
and  awe.  More  or  less  embarrassment  is  also  experienced  at  the 
first  class  exercise,  arising  from  his  misconception  of  their  intellect- 
ual greatness  and  his  mental  inferiority.  The  arcs  of  magnifying 
their  literary  attainments  and  minifying  his  own  are,  however,  easily 
measured,  and  the  pendulum  of  sober  judgment  and  settled  convic- 
tions soon  finds  the  limit  of  equated  motion.  The  value  of  this  in- 
itiatory and  impressible  period,  as  a  moulding  power,  is  too  often 
neither  appreciated  nor  improved. 

The  students  comparative  mental  immaturity  and- limited  attain- 
ment, at  the  period  of  entering  college,  indicate  the  character  of  the 
training  he  needs,  and  the  direction  and  degree  of  culture  best 
suited,  as  the  basis  of  future  nurture.  The  stern  discipline  of  thor- 
ough and  daily  drill,  in  every  branch  of  the  entire  curriculum,  in  its 
regular  sequence,  is  indispensible.  This  is  the  only  road  that  will 
conduct  him  to  the  desired  goal  and  give  him  intellectual  vigor, 
symmetry,  and  a  ready  command  of  his  mental  powers.  Nothing 
should  be  permitted  to  interfere  with  this  programme,  interrupt  or 
disturb  the  continuity  and  thoroughness  of  the  process.  No  reasona- 
ble amount  of  either  time  or  labor  should  be  spared,  in  the  line  of 
faithful  instruction,  to  stimulate,  encourage  and  direct  his  efforts  in 
the  work  of  real  discipline  and  liberal  culture.  Fidelity  on  the  part 
of  teachers,  at  this  point,  will  be  followed  with  rich  and  abundant 
fruits  at  all  succeeding  ones.  His  docility  will  be  responsive  to  every 
wise  and  honest  endeavor  to  aid ;  his  confidence  strengthened  by 
every  manifestation  of  a  hearty  interest  in  his  welfare  ;  his  efforts  re- 
doubled at  every  encounter  with  difficulties,  when  assured  that  all 
judicious  assistance  will  be  forthcoming,  in  the  hour  of  need  ;  his 
moral  sensibilities  quickened  into  livelier  activity,  and  his  heart  won 
by  the  cordial  sympathy  and  counsel  of  kindred  spirits,  manifested 
through  such  media.  These  results  can  be  reached  only  through 
appropriate  instrumentalities.  Instruction  must  be  thorough,  assidu 


COLLEGIATE   CONTROL  AND   CULTURE.  13 

ous,  and  sympathetic.  The  teacher  must  bring  himself  into  a  living 
contact  with  his  pupils,  so  intimate  and  vital,  that  he  can  so  study 
their  character  and  capacities  that  he  may  wisely  tax  their  intellects 
and  give  a  corresponding  direction  to  their  moral  development  and 
culture.  If  these  be  the  only  conditions  of  success,  then  the  reasons 
for  the  numerous  failures  and  sad  experiences  in  the  annals  of  college 
graduates  are  both  patent  and  suggestive. 

The  history  of  a  class,  whose  semicentennial  anniversary  of  grad- 
uation occurred  in  1878,  will  furnish  some  material  highly  illustra- 
tive, in  the  line  of  the  present  discussion.  At  no  one  time  did  it 
embrace  more  than  fifty  members,  and  although  sixty  names  were 
on  its  roll  during  its  four  years  course,  yet  only  two  thirds  of  that 
number  graduated.  During  its  two  years  of  tutorial  instruction,  not 
more  than  one  half,  on  an  average,  (perhaps  less),  recited  daily,  while 
through  the  uncertainty  of  the  lot,  or  the  imperfection  of  the  tutor- 
ial memory,  others  were  not  called  up  for  two  or  three  days  in  suc- 
cession. Some  had  a  year,  or  a  year  and  a  half  of  advanced  prep- 
aration, while  others,  like  Virgils'  "  Rari  nantes  in  gurgito  vasto," 
came  in,  struggling  under  the  embarrassment  of  deficient  training. 
The  class,  at  its  entrance,  was  not  more  motley  in  preparation  than 
in  age,  (fourteen  and  thirty),  and  indeed  the  tout  ensemble  of  the 
whole,  was  not  much  unlike  the  crowd  gathered  in  Bethesda's 
porches,  some  ready  and  able  to  step  into  the  healing  fountain, 
whenever  its  waters  were  troubled,  while  others  were  more  or  less 
dependent  on  foreign  aid.  Such  was  its  initial  type  and  such  its 
training,  both  under  tutors  and  professors.  Though  in  after  years,  it 
made  a  distinguished  record  and  won  no  slight  renown  as  a  profes- 
sorial class,  yet  it  fell  far  short,  in  finish  and  efficiency,  of  what  it 
would  have  attained,  had  it  been  taught  in  sections  of  ten  or  a  dozen, 
grouped  according  to  capacity  and  attainment,  each  receiving  the 
amount  and  degree  of  attention  needed,  or  not  en  masse,  as  it  was 
during  the  whole  four  years.  This  photograph  will  be  recognised  by 
the  alumni  of  not  a  few  of  our  older  colleges,  from  an  analogous  ex- 
perience, and  many  will  say,  that,  minus  the  incidents  of  age  and 
numbers, "  That  is  a  true  sketch  of  our  class,  college  life  and  experience, 
and  we  not  only  most  cordially  add  our  testimony  to  the  fidelity  of 
the  picture,  but,  also,  our  most  emphatic  protest  against  the  per- 
petuity of  the  wrong." 

The  gross  and  unforgotten,  if  not  unforgiven,  injustice  done  that 
class,  more  than  fifty  years  ago,  is  still  repeated,  with  very  slight 


14  NEW   DEPARTURES   IN 

modifications,  in  all  of  our  older  colleges,  as  will  appear  from  the  facts 
now    to    be    produced.      Centennial  year   witnessed   the   following 
scene  in  one  of  our  oldest  and  richly  endowed  Institutions.     The 
recitation  of  the  junior  class,   which  consisted  of  one   hundred  or 
more  members,  commenced  at  ten  o'clock  A.  M.     The  first  section, 
fifty  one,  by  actual  count,  attended  at  that  hour,  and  of  these,  only 
fourteen  were  called  up  to  recite,  and  the  entire  hour  was  occupied 
in  the  exercise.     The  next  hour  summoned  the  second  section  to  a 
similar  task,  as  we  suppose,  for  the  writer  did  not  tarry  to  hear  the 
passage  from  "  De  Corona,"  repeated.     The  class  experience  of  that 
day,  as  thus  stated,  was  probably  its  experience  for  the  term.     Be 
that  as  it  may,  it  raised  the  ghost  of  fifty  years  ago.     Was  anything 
more  than  justice  done  that  fourth  of  the  first  section  ?     Was  it  not, 
also,  their  due,  to  be  subject  to  a  like  test  at  every  recitation,  and 
would  anything,  materially  short  of  that  amount  of  daily  instruction 
and  drill,  be  their  just  claim,  as  well  as  that,  also,  of  each  of  the  other 
three  fourths  jof  the  section,  untaxed  on  that  occasion,  or  even  meet 
the  reasonable   expectation  of  parents  and  guardians  ?     It  is  said 
by  way  of  rebutting  the  argument,  and  breaking  the  force  of  the 
logic  of  such  interrogation,  that  the  uncalled  three   fourths  of  said 
section  were  constructively  taught,  by  being  subject  to  the  same  con- 
tingency of  being  called  up,  as  the  fourth  that  recited,  and  were 
actually  constrained  to  make  the  same  thorough  preparation  that 
they  would,  had  there  been  no  such  contingency?     The  fallacy  of 
such  reasoning  is  sufficiently  exposed  by  the  fact,  that  the  character 
of  the  recitations  of  several  of  those  called   up,  on   that  occasion, 
plainly  indicated  that  the  doctrine  of  chances,  probably,  had  had  some 
influence  on  their  preparation.     Human  nature,  in  its  present  type, 
and  in  the  period  of  collegiate  inexperience,  is  very  much  disposed 
to  take  a  practical  view  of  all  contingencies  involving  escape  from 
intense  thought,  and  protracted  toil,  especially  when  the  ratio  of  ex- 
emption from  hard  study  is  three  to  one.     Such  a  method  of  defense 
is  rather  an  aggravation  than  an  exculpation  of  the  wrong.     Leave 
such  logic  to  the  exclusive  use  of  those  whose  bump  of  conscien- 
tiousness is  not  yet  developed,  and  group  its  wisdom  with  the  os- 
triches'.    Student  laziness  will  neither  be  exorcised,  nor  migrate,  till 
daily  recitation,  by  every  member  of  a  section  or  class,  becomes  as 
inevitable  as  fate,  nor  college  disturbances  cease,  till  this,  their  taproot 
is  severed.    Vain  are  all  hopes  of  permanent  elimination  of  their  tricks, 
deceptions  and  outrages  till  this  spirit  of  evil  is  cast  out. 


COLLEGIATE  CONTROL  AND  CULTURE.  1$ 

The  reply  of  the  secretary  of  the  President  of  one  of  the  older 
colleges  to  the  enquiry,  "  What  are  the  maximum  and  minimum  num- 
bers into  which  your  respective  classes  are  divided  for  recitation,  or 
is  each  still  taught  en  masse  ?  "  reads  thus,  "  In  the  senior  year  the 
divisions  are  sometimes  as  high  as  seventy,  in  other  years,  from 
twenty  to  thirty-five  or  forty."  The  response  of  the  President  of 
the  Institution,  next  in  age,  is  also,  in  the  same  line  of  illustration, 
"  From  twenty-five  to  thirty-five  or  forty."  The  reply  made  to  the 
same  question,  by  the  head  of  a  college  whose  annual  catalogues, 
for  several  years,  have  reported  from  ten  to  eleven  hundred  students, 
is,  "  In  mathematics  and  languages,  rarely  more  than  forty,  often 
less." 

Though  we  are  willing  to  let  this  case,  on  the  first  charge  of  the 
indictment,  go  to  the  jury,  without  any  more  testimony,  simply  re- 
marking that  these  three  witnesses  are  fair  specimens  of  the  forty 
summoned,  yet  we  wish,  before  proceeding  to  the  second,  to  bring 
out  more  prominently,  to  view,  the  practical  operations  and  results  of 
the  two  methods  of  instruction,  small  sections,  and,  en  masse.  For 
illustration,  we  will  take  the  semicentennial,  photographed  class. 
Divided  into  three  equal  sections,  (four  would  be  better,)  the  num- 
ber of  each,  during  its  college  life,  would  have  oscilated  between  thir- 
teen and  sixteen,  and  that  classification,  based  on  scholarship,  would 
have  so  grouped  the  members  as  to  give  each  the  opportunity  to 
become,  in  a  good  measure,  all  that  his  powers  and  application  could 
make  him,  in  symmetry  and  culture.  The  first  section  were  capable 
of  accomplishing  much  more  than  the  curriculum  portion,  in  each 
department  of  study.  They  could  have  extende^d  their  researches, 
and  under  wise  and  competent  guidance,  made  substantial  attain- 
ments far  in  advance  of  what  they  actually  did  reach.  The  second, 
under  similar  auspices,  could  have  successfully  mastered,  what,  under 
the  old  regime,  they  did  not  satisfactorily  do,  the  prescribed  course, 
and  even  made,  perhaps,  some  material  advance.  The  third,  by  the 
concentration  of  their  time  and  effort  on  a  somewhat  limited  portion 
of  the  curriculum,  would  have  attained  a  far  more  valuable  culture 
than  they  did,  by  the  unwise  and  constrained  attempting,  what,  under 
the  en  masse  policy,  was  beyond  their  capacity.  Under  such  a  classi- 
fication each  section  would  have  prosecuted  their  studies  with  more 
satisfaction  and  better  results,  unannoyed,  some  by  the  conscious- 
ness of  being  restrained  from  accomplishing  what  they  were  compe- 
tent to  do,  others,  chafing  under  the  conviction  that  they  were  over- 


l6  NEW    DEPARTURES   IN 

taxed,  and  others  restive  from  a  feeling  that  they  had  not  had  a  fair 
chance  of  showing,  that,  under  more  favorable  circumstances,  they 
could  have  mastered  the  prescribed  course. 

This  sectional  arrangement  gives  every  individual  in  the  class 
both  opportunity  and  facilities  for  thorough  development  and  cul- 
ture, and  also,  ministers  no  slight  stimulus  in  that  direction,  unac- 
companied by  any  drawbacks  of  invidious  and  mortifying  compari- 
sons. It  will  prove  far  more  pleasant  and  satisfactory  to  the  student 
to  be  grouped  with  peers,  in  intellect,  than  classed  with  either  inferiors 
or  superiors  in  talent.  The  en  masse  method  duplicates  the  evils,  and 
the  sectional  policy  extracts  its  very  root. 

The  detailed  process  of  the  individual  test  of  the  two  systems  is 
both  striking  and  suggestive.  One  is  thorough  and  in  a  good  degree 
exhaustive,  the  other  superficial  and  unsatisfactory.  One  affords 
time  to  accomplish  something  indicative  of  honest  work  and  real 
capacity,  the  other,  the  reverse  of  this,  is  too  brief  to  demonstrate 
the  true  degree  of  either  the  student's  knowledge  or  ignorance.  The 
one  furnishes  each  member  the  daily  opportunity  to  show  his  pro- 
ficiency in  every  study,  while  the  other  affords  no  certainty  of  a  like 
exhibit,  either  of  his  attainments,  or  even  the  full  extent  of  his  de- 
ficiences,  for  the  obvious  reason  that  the  en  masse  policy  compels  the 
teacher  to  hasten  on  rapidly  from  one  student  to  another,  in  order  to 
secure  to  as  many  as  possible  a  participation  in  the  recitation.  Con- 
sequently, under  this  mode  of  instruction,  a  student  seldom  reads 
more  than  two  or  three  sentences,  (often  less)  in  either  Greek  or 
Latin,  and  in  Mathematics  the  case  is  seldom  any  better.  The  loss 
and  damage  of  such  a  process  of  training,  to  the  victim  of  it,  is  mani- 
fest and  positive.  The  results  of  the  first  method  are  in  striking  and 
happy  contrast  with  the  sequence  of  its  opposite.  The  former  proves 
as  satisfactory  to  the  teacher  as  to  the  pupils  ;  the  latter  is  "a  thorn 
in  the  flesh  "  to  both,  doing  justice  to  neither.  These  facts  are  too 
numerous  and  too  patent  to  admit  of  a  successful  challenge,  in  the 
face  of  such  a  crowd  of  witnesses  and  such  a  multitude  of  victims. 

When  the  former  system  supplants  the  latter,  there  will  be  no 
need  of  Modern  Language  supplements  and  a  countless  host  of  sci- 
entific substitutes,  as  complements  of  the  old  curriculum,  for  its 
prominent  elements  will  furnish  ample  scope  for  linguistic  talent  of 
the  highest  grade,  and  mathematical  genius  of  the  grandest  type;  for 
each  and  all  the  sections,  will  find  ample  opportunity  of  doing  their 
utmost  in  all  the  departments  of  that  course  of  study,  which  experi- 


COLLEGIATE  CONTROL  AND  CULTURE.  17 

ence  has  shown  to  be  wise  and  sufficient  for  the  best  of  culture. 
Let  each  section  of  the  several  classes  penetrate  these  vast  territo- 
ries, inviting  exploration,  to  the  fullest  extent  of  their  several  ability, 
and  they  will  return  richly  laden  with  the  fruits  of  a  stern  and 
stalwart  discipline,  which  they  cannot  fail  to  recognize  and  appre- 
ciate as  real  entities. 

The  second  alleged  dereliction  is  "  the  pitiful  demand  made  on 
Professorial  time,  and  their  seemingly  complaisant  acquiescence  in 
the  perpetuity  of  the  wrong." 

It  is  very  evident  that  the  witnesses  who  have  just  left  the  stand, 
have  pretty  clearly  foreshadowed  the  character  of  the  testimony  they 
will  give  when  recalled  to  testify  on  the  second  charge.  This  count 
is  no  less  grave  and  worthy  of  consideration  and  analysis  than  the 
previous  one.  The  trustees  of  a  college,  who  open  their  doors  and 
invite  students  to  enter  them,  are  responsible  for  the  sufficiency,  as 
well  as  the  quality,  of  the  instruction  given.  To  outsiders,  the  de- 
mand made  on  professorial  labor,  in  most  of  the  colleges  of  the 
country,  seems  both  small,  and  entirely  insufficient  to  meet  the  neces- 
sities of  the  case.  The  work  pledged,  can  not  be  done,  as  it  ought 
to  be,  in  the  present  brief  period  of  professorial  attendance  in  the 
recitation  room.  It  is  simply  impossible.  It  is  evident,  that,  if  a 
professor  of  Greek,  Latin  or  Mathematics,  teaches  each  of  his  two 
classes,  en  masse,  the  measure  of  his  daily  toil  is  found  within  the 
limits  of  two  hours,  and  professors  in  some  other  departments  are 
seldom  taxed  as  much,  often  less.  If  two  or  three  hours  per  day  is 
all  that  can  reasonably  or  safely  be  required  of  college  teachers,  then 
boards  of  control  should  double  or  even  quadruple  their  teaching 
force,  or  close  their  doors  to  further  applicants,  for  the  longer  toler- 
ance, of  the  en  masse  imposition,  cannot  be  expected,  nor  the  days 
of  that  transgression  be  much  longer  "  winked  at "  by  their  hitherto 
patient  constituencies. 

Were  college  trustees,  themselves,  subjected  to  a  little  cross  ex- 
amination on  this  point,  or  even  to  a  sharp  interview  by  a  shrewd 
reporter,  it  might  possibly  reveal  no  little  leaven  of  scepticism  in  this 
matter,  even  among  their  own  body.  We  have  not  the  slightest 
hesitancy  in  expressing  the  conviction  that  the  question,  "  Why  do 
we  require  only  the  brief  period  of  two  or  three  hours  of  daily  labor, 
of  our  professors,"  and  this,  supplemented  and  reenforced  by  the 
kindred  interrogatory,  "  Why  may  not  they  spend  at  least  five  or 
six  hours,  per  day,  in  instruction,  for  five  days  in  the  weeks?"  has 


18  NEW    DEPARTURES   IN 

often  risen  in  the  mind  of  the  venerable  Judges,  Ministers,  Lawyers, 
Doctors  and  Bankers  on  College  Boards.  No  other  professional  or 
business  men  do  less.  No  judge,  either  State  or  Federal,  ordinarily 
sits  on  the  bench  less  than  six  hours  per  day,  week  in  and  week  out, 
and  often,  even  seven  or  eight.  Is  his  toil  less  exhausting,  and  his 
mental  strain  in  listening  to  shrewd  and  able  pleas,  charging  juries, 
and  drawing  on  his  legal  lore  for  precedents  and  authorities  to  sustain 
his  decisions,  less  severe  than  the  Professor's  labor,  in  traveling  over 
his  annual  routine  of  instruction  ?  Does  the  weekly  programme  of 
ministerial  duties  call  for  less  aggregate  hours  than  the  Judges  ?  Can 
the  faithful  physician,  the  successful  lawyer,  energetic  banker  or 
business  man,  get  through  his  daily  task,  even  in  six  hours?  Why 
this  anomalous  exception  in  human  experience? 

Were  such  interrogatory  doubts  and  mental  misgiving  to  find 
free  expression  in  these  boards  of  control,  the  individual  having  the 
simplicity  to  entertain,  the  frankness  to  express,  and  the  independ- 
ence to  defend  their  claims  to  consideration,  would  unexpectedly 
find  himself  sustained  by  the  approving  utterances  of  not  a  few  of 
his  official  associates.  "  I  have  thought  so,  for  a  long  time."  Let 
it  be  at  once,  and  distinctly,  understood  by  all  concerned,  that  col- 
lege constituencies  consider  themselves  no  longer  bound  to  respect 
the  logic  that  has  hitherto  sustained  such  abuses.  This  usage,  also, 
personified,  is  not  a  mere  solitary  member  of  the  family  of  college 
vagabonds,  who,  whether  mythical  or  material,  should  be  promptly 
arrested  and  sent  to  the  pillory  of  public  scrutiny  and  scorn  :  nay, 
more,  be  placed  in  the  focus  of  popular  inspection  and  reprobation, 
there  to  undergo  a  cremation,  so  complete  and  perfect,  that  not  even 
the  bones  of  the  culprit  could  be  found. 

Let  us  analyse  this  quasi  claim  to  exemption  from  the  ordinary 
amount  of  daily  labor,  common  to  professional  toilers,  and  examine 
its  elements  and  character.  The  great  burden  of  professorial  labor 
in  American  colleges  is  mainly  teaching  by  text-books,  not  instruc- 
tion by  lectures.  The  legitimate  fields  of  these  two  classes  of  in- 
structors are  distinctly  marked.  The  former  is  simply  tutorial,  the 
latter  is  purely  professional.  This  distinction  is  broad,  significant 
and  fundamental.  The  appropriate  mission  of  the  one  is  develop- 
ment and  discipline,  of  the  other,  professional  culture  and  the  explo- 
ration of  the  realms  of  individual  science.  This  classification  rele- 
gates most  of  college  teachers  to  tutorial  rank,  and  confers  profes- 
sorial dignity  only  on  university  instructors.  There  may  be  occa- 


COLLEGIATE  CONTROL  AND  CULTURE.          19 

sionally,  a  slight  interlacing  of  field  and  function,  for  the  tutor  may, 
now  and  then,  sandwich  his  teachings  with  a  quasi  lecture,  and  the 
dignified  professor  embellish  his  didactic  utterances  of  fundamental 
principle  with  an  occasional  flavor  of  rhetoric. 

Let  no  one,  however,  who  finds  himself,  by  this  classification, 
grouped  with  tutorial  worthies,  think  himself  less  honored  or  use- 
ful, for  in  the  English  university  hives,  the  tutors  are  the  workers, 
and  the  professors  the  comparative  drones.  The  latter  deliver  lec- 
tures on  their  several  specialities  to  those  disposed  to  enroll  them- 
selves as  their  pupils.  The  account  of  their  beggarly  audiences  is 
highly  suggestive  of  the  sinecure  character  of  their  mission  in  Ox- 
ford and  Cambridge.  The  entire  instruction  in  the  colleges  com- 
posing these  universities  is  given  by  the  tutorial  corps,  public  and 
private.  It  is  the  latter,  though  an  unofficial  yet  recognized  factor, 
that  turns  out,  from  their  teams  of  drilled  and  trained  minds,  the 
"  senior  wranglers  and  other  tutors."  These  college  tutors  will  not 
suffer  in  comparison,  in  talent  or  attainment,  with  their  American 
cousins  of  more  pretentious  prefixes  or  suffixes,  neither  should  the 
latter  feel  themselves  uncomplimented  by  the  comparison.  It  is, 
also,  in  these  universities,  that  we  find  the  tutorial  mission,  both 
official  and  unofficial,  carried  to  its  highest  perfection  both  in  num- 
bers and  hours  of  daily  instruction,  reaching,  in  the  line  of  the  small 
section  policy,  the  maximum  point  of  wisdom,  ranging  from  six  to 
ten  pupils,  and  in  time,  from  six  to  seven  hours  daily,  as  manifested 
in  the  superior  scholarship  and  statesmanship  of  England. 

Let  us  return  from  this  foreign  illustrative  excursion  to  home  ex- 
perience and  observation,  and  ask  where  is  the  professor  of  Greek, 
Latin  or  Mathematics,  or  indeed  in  any  other  department  of  the  cur- 
riculum of  study,  who,  in  these  days  of  substitutional  policy  and 
option  branches,  has  daily  charge  of  more  than  two  classes  in  his 
line  of  duty  ?  If  he  teaches  each  of  them,  en  masse,  the  draft  on  his 
time  will  be  but  two  hours,  and  the  maximum  extent  of  preparation 
can  be  only  for  two  exercises.  Will  the  mental  strain  of  these  two 
hours  be  so  excessive,  or  the  physical  demand  so  exorbitant  as  to 
exhaust  his  energies  and  require  the  rest  of  the  day  for  recuperation  ? 
Let  the  other  departments  of  human  toil,  both  physical  and  mental, 
furnish  the  answer.  If  he  divides  each  into  three  sections,  even  then 
he  can  not  boast  that  he  surpasses,  in  time  devoted  to  official  duties, 
men  in  other  professions,  or  has  even  done  anything  more,  in  his 
own  line,  than  to  bring  himself  abreast  with  his  brethren,  the  labo- 


20  NEW    DEPARTURES   IN 

rious  preceptor  and  the  superintendent  of  city  schools.  No  more 
preparation  is  demanded  for  the  six,  than  for  the  present  two  recita- 
tion. Is  the  monotony  of  daily  repetition  so  much  more  abhorrent 
than  annual,  as  to  become  absolutely  intolerable  ?  There  is  an 
effective  remedy  for  this  evil.  Let  him  throw  the  order  of  the  first 
exercise  into  the  second,  remembering  that  his  wisdom,  tact  and 
resources  will  have  a  fresh  field  for  exhibition,  and  they  will,  also,  be 
as  highly  prized  by  the  third  section  as  by  the  first.  The  wise  and 
wide  awake  professor  will  find  these  new  and  consecutive  opportu- 
nities not  without  their  benefit  even  to  himself,  stimulating  his 
habits  of  observation,  and  often  suggesting  methods  of  solution  not 
indicated  in  the  text  book,  happier  illustrations  and  more  felicitous 
rendering  of  difficult  passages  of  classic  lore  and  beauty.  The  con- 
sciousness of  doing  a  better  work  and  converting  his  motive  into 
more  useful  form  and  finished  specimens  of  his  skill,  will  be  an  am- 
ple compensation  for  all  additional  time  and  toil.  What  more  bitter 
ingredient  in  the  unfaithful  teacher's  cup  of  retribution  than  the 
conviction  that  many  of  his  pupils  are  not  what  they  would  have 
been,  had  not  his  indolence,  or  his  ambition  to  become  an  author,  or 
a  desire  to  explore  other  regions  of  literature  or  science,  or  excur- 
sions into  outside  enterprises  of  profit  or  renown,  intervened,  en- 
grossed his  time  and  diverted  his  energies. 

"  Well  done  "  has  more  real  worth  than  all  the  glories  of  mere 
authorship,  or  the  combined  distinction  of  literary  or  scientific 
renown. 

There  is  a  talismanic  stimulus  as  well  as  power  in  tutorial  tact, 
patience  and  fidelity  to  conviction  of  duty.  Patience  to  bear  with 
conscious  ignorance  and  temporary  dullness,  skill  to  rightly  guage 
the  mental  capacity  and  direct  its  development,  and  a  cordial  sym- 
pathy with  honest  worth  in  its  aspirations  and  efforts,  whatever  may 
be  its  intellectual  grade,  are  cardinal  virtues  as  well  as  potent  agen- 
cies for  good.  Though  the  lack  of  them  may  have  been  occasionally 
deplored  in  the  past,  and  the  wish  also  expressed  that  there  were  no 
cause  to  lament  the  rarity  of  them  in  current  experience,  yet  it 
must  not  be  forgotten  that  such  zeal  and  earnestness  have  had  no 
obstacles  so  appalling,  no  disheartenment  so  oppressive,  as  the  neces- 
sity laid  upon  them  of  teaching  forty  or  fifty,  or  even  a  larger  num- 
ber, en  masse. 

In  imparting  instruction  under  such  disadvantages,  the  faithful 
and  earnest  worker  sees,  at  a  glance,  that  efforts,  however  wise  and 


COLLEGIATE   CONTROL   AND    CULTURE. 

k    -TX  j 

AjcvvVV 
indefatigable,  must   necessarily  fail   of  reaching  results,  satisfactory 

either  to  himself,  pupils  or  patrons.  In  those  groups  annually 
brought  under  his  instruction,  he  perceives  that  there  are  minds  of 
very  different  type  and  caliber,  capable  of  attainments  of  correspond- 
ing grade.  The  en  masse  method  of  teaching  satisfies  the  wants  of 
neither  class.  One  is  chafed,  another  dissatisfied,  a  third  dishear- 
tened, and  the  instructor  little  else  than  shamefully  maltreated.  No 
wonder  that  many  a  worthy  man,  under  such  circumstances,  and  in 
utter  discouragement  and  disgust,  abandons  his  tutorial  mission,  or, 
if  he  remains  in  it,  that  his  subsequent  labor  becomes  little  else  than 
mere  perfunctory  toil.  While  some  of  these,  yielding  to  seemingly 
manifest  destiny,  trudge  on  in  the  old  ruts  of  immemorial  usage,  ap- 
parently contented  ;  others,  in  hopes  of  better  times  and  a  wiser 
policy,  protest  against  the  evil,  and  give  a  practical  shape  to  their 
protest.  We  know  a  professor  who  would  never  teach  a  class  of 
twenty-five,  without  dividing  it,  into  two  sections,  and  we  are  happy 
to  know,  also,  that  there  are  others  of  kindred  faith  and  works. 
May  their  number  increase  and  multiply  till  Trustees  of  American 
colleges  open  their  eyes  to  the  enormity  of  the  evil  and  take  effective 
measures  to  redress  the  wrong:  wakened  from  their  "  sleepy  hollow  " 
repose,  by  such  self  prompted  sacrifice  and  loyalty  to  honest  convic- 
tion of  the  true  and  the  right,  if  not  of  the  beautiful.  With  these 
facts  and  suggestions  we  submit  the  case  to  the  consideration  of  an 
appreciative  public,  with  the  supplementary  remark,  that  the  entire 
testimony  on  the  amount  of  daily  professorial  labor,  ranges  within 
the  limits  of  one  and  three  hours. 

We  cannot  refrain  from  expressing,  in  transition,  the  conviction, 
that  even  a  brief  yet  honest  study  of  the  practical  workings  of  this 
subdivisonal  method  of  college  instruction  would  be  of  great  service 
not  only  to  those  in  charge  of  colleges,  both  Trustees  and  Faculty, 
but,  also,  to  all  interested  in  the  higher  culture  of  the  country.  The 
method  of  instruction  contemplated  by  this  classification  is  simple, 
honest  and  direct;  demanding  fidelity  and  patient  labor  on  the  part 
of  both  teachers  and  taught.  Short  comings  in  either  are  sure  to 
come  to  the  surface  for  correction.  The  happy  effect  of  its  introduc- 
tion into  our  colleges  would  soon  be  seen,  and  its  wisdom  and  worth 
be  fully  appreciated.  It  would  correct  some  of  the  evils  that  greatly 
need  elimination,  and  supply  some  sad  deficiencies  that  now  mar  the 
symmetry  and  solidity  of  collegiate  training.  Under  such  an  admin 
istrative  appliance,  industry  would  supplant  indolence;  manliness  be 


22  NEW   DEPARTURES   IN 

a  substitute  for  meanness  ;  honesty  and  a  cordial  respect  for  the 
rights  of  others,  be  regarded  as  virtues  worthy  of  assiduous  culture. 
The  pressure  of  such  a  requisition  would  be  uniform  and  constant  on 
all  the  mental  material  of  the  college  community,  in  proportion,  at 
least,  to  the  square  of  its  surface. 

This  subdivisional  policy  has  ever  been  a  characteristic  feature 
of  the  West  Point  system.  As  an  illustrative  fact  of  its  practical 
working  and  wisdom,  the  mention  of  a  single  item  of  current  experi- 
ence is  sufficient  The  class  that  entered  in  1878  numbered  one 
hundred  and  thirteen,  and  was  divided  into  ten  sections  of  eleven  or 
twelve  each,  in  mathematical  studies,  and  where  are  mathematics 
taught  more  thoroughly  or  extensively  ? 

The  same  principle  controls  and  directs  the  other  departments 
of  the  academic  instruction,  developing  the  happiest  results.  Men 
of  medium,  or  even  less  mathematical  grade,  may  and  often  do  take 
a  high  rank  in  other  branches  of  the  course,  thus  exhibiting  capacity 
and  culture  of  rich  promise  for  some  arm  of  the  service.  This  sys- 
tem works  up  the  raw  material  annually  furnished,  as  thoroughly  as 
possible,  though  about  one  half  of  it  is  thrown  aside,  before  the  end 
of  the  process  is  reached.  A  like  thorough  and  eliminating  policy 
in  our  colleges  would  produce  analogous  developments.  High 
Greek  and  Latin  grades  of  scholarship,  might  be  associated  with  low 
mathematics  and  medium  belles  lettres  rank,  and  there  might,  also, 
be  as  many  vice  versa  results,  as  the  combinations  of  the  curricula 
branches  would  admit.  While  there  would  be  but  few  "  double 
firsts,"  yet  the  stimulus  and  culture  of  this  system  would  be  exceed- 
ingly happy  in  the  direction  of  each  one's  peculiar  capacity,  secur- 
ing valuable  attainments  in  the  line  of  that  power.  Such  a  method 
of  training  would  fully  meet  and  tax  the  various  grades  of  talent 
found  in  the  annual  accessions  to  our  colleges,  and  present  at  the 
close  of  their  course,  a  far  more  worthy  array  of  candidates  for  grad- 
uation than  the  current  policy  has  hitherto  done,  or  indeed  can  do. 

It  is  a  notorious  fact,  patent  to  all  who  have  had  anything  to  do 
with  colleges,  and  deeply  deplored  by  many  conscious  of  the  evil 
but  powerless  to  correct  it,  that  there  is  no  small  amount  of  un- 
developed mental  power  and  undisciplined  intellect,  annually  let 
loose,  under  the  endorsement  of  college  diplomas,  which  if  subjected 
to  the  proposed  process,  would  present,  at  the  terminus  of  the  four 
years  course,  a  very  different  result  and  a  much  more  cheering 
prospect  of  a  successful  and  useful  life.  Were  college  boards  to 


COLLEGIATE  CONTROL  AND  CULTURE.  23 

assemble  their  alumni  and  ask  them  this  question.  "  How  many  of 
you  are  painfully  conscious  that  you  are  not  the  men  you  would 
have  been,  had  you  been  taught  in  sections  of  ten  or  a  dozen  each, 
and  so  grouped  that  the  members  of  each  could  have  prosecuted 
the  several  branches  of  the  curriculum  to  the  fullest  extent  and  to 
the  utmost  limit  of  their  individual  capacity  ?  "  The  response  to  such 
a  challenge  would  both  surprise  and  astonish  them,  revealing  the 
enormity  of  the  wrong,  the  gravity  of  the  complaint  and  the  necessity 
of  prompt  and  radical  redress.  When  such  a  jury  renders  their  ver- 
dict, it  will  become  these  courts  to  wipe  the  glasses  of  their  wisdom. 
On  whom  rests  the  responsibility  of  perpetuating  a  policy  that  en- 
tails regrets,  irreparable  losses,  and  not  a  few  maledictions,  shall  be 
the  closing  interrogation  on  this  topic. 

MODERN  LANGUAGES. 

We  have  reached  a  point  at  which  it  may  not  be  inappropriate 
to  throw  out  some  suggestive  enquiries  relative  to  other  matters 
german  to  the  general  purpose  of  this  discussion.  Change  is  not 
always  equivalent  to  improvement ;  nor  advance,  irrespective  of  the 
direction,  synonymous  with  progress.  A  rail  road  train  may  run  on 
to  a  side  track,  and  while  it  is  laying  there,  another  may  rush  by  to 
its  destination  with  lightning  speed,  to  the  no  slight  chagrin  of  the 
be-switched  passengers.  We  have  serious  apprehensions  that  those 
who  have  so  zealously  advocated  the  introduction  of  the  study  of 
the  modern  languages  into  our  college  curricula,  either  as  a  regular, 
or  an  optional  substitute  for  the  classic  tongues,  are  destined,  at  no 
distant  day,  to  meet  with  a  sore  disappointment.  Years  of  careful 
observation,  and  not  unfrequent  inquiry,  have  awakened  the  suspi- 
cion that  the  wisdom  either  of  their  partial,  or  complete  substitution 
for  the  ancient  classics,  does  not  rest  on  a  basis  so  firm  and  unques- 
tionable as  to  forbid  all  doubt,  or  reinvestigation.  No  one  of  lin- 
guistic experience  will  pretend  that  these  languages,  even  with  all 
the  advantage  of  being  living  tongues,  and  each  embracing  a  valua- 
ble literature,  can  compare  with  the  venerable  repositories  of  ancient 
lore,  either  in  disciplinary  power  or  literary  culture.  If  this  be  ad- 
mitted, then  the  inevitable  sequence  is,  that  the  substitution  of  the 
modern  for  the  ancient  language,  to  any  extent,  from  totality  to 
the  lowest  fraction,  is  an  absolute  and  positive  loss,  just  in  propor- 
tion to  the  degree  of  their  comparative  inferiority  or  disciplinary 
agencies.  Do  not  facts,  experience  and  observations  confirm  the 


24  NEW   DEPLRTURES   IN 

views  suggested?  To  what  other  conclusion  does  an  honest  and 
thorough  investigation  bring  us  ?  What  else  than  the  merest 
shadow  of  a  doubt,  bordering  on  the  conviction  of  absolute  certainty, 
if  even  that,  remains,  on  a  rigid  analysis  of  any  genuine  specimen 
that  can  be  produced  ?  It  is  an  axiomatic  truth  that  the  whole  of  a 
good  thing  is  better  than  any  fractional  part,  whatever  elementary 
good  that  may  be. 

Have  not  the  doctors  of  college  curriculum  unconciously  become 
the  dupes  of  their  own  credulity,  in  the  experiment  of  linguistic 
substitution,  whether  partial  or  total?  Happily  for  the  cause  of 
sound  learning,  we  have  legitimate  specimens  of  both,  for  compara- 
tive analysis.  Some  forty-five  years  ago,  one  of  our  best  colleges, 
was,  shiplike,  swept  from  its  classic  moorings  by  that  huge  tidal 
wave  of  anticlassics  that  then  rolled  on  the  Institutions  of  the  land, 
and  carried  out  to  sea,  by  its  deceitful  undertow.  Happily  for  its 
rescue,  the  next  wave  brought  it  back  to  terra  fir -ma  anchorage  wiser 
for  its  erratic  experiences.  In  other  words,  at  the  dictation  of  the 
then  popular  clamor,  its  guardians  changes  its  curriculum  by  the 
entire  substitution  of  the  modern  for  the  ancient  languages,  only  to 
acknowledge  their  unwisdom  by  taking  but  one  class  through  the 
new  process,  and  then  gracefully  backing  off  of  that  wooden  tram- 
way on  to  the  T.  rail  of  the  old  classic  road.  So  much  in  the  line 
of  demonstration  of  the  wisdom  of  that  diagnosis  and  the  sanitary 
effect  of  the  accompanying  prescription.  Though  an  alopathic  dose 
killed  the  patient,  (for  the  memory  of  that  case  of  manifest  mal- 
practice has  not  entirely  faded  from  the  public  mind),  yet  his  remains 
had  hardly  been  laid  to  rest,  before  literary  homeopathy  claimed 
attention  and  experiment.  Let  the  subjects  of  this  superior  prac- 
tice be  thoroughly  examined,  and  the  reality  and  soundness  of  its 
cures  be  subjected  to  the  crucial  test  of  life  experiment. 

Will  it  not  be  found,  dropping  the  figure,  that  nineteen  twentieths 
of  recent  graduates,  five  years  after  leaving  college,  are  more  igno- 
rant of  modern  than  ancient  tongues  ?  Will  not  even  a  dissolving 
view  of  the  latter  be  far  more  distinct  and  vivid  than  even  the  mid- 
day splendor  of  the  former  ever  was  ?  While,  perhaps,  one  in  twenty, 
in  after  life  may  prosecute  the  study  of  one  or  both  of  these  lan- 
guages, and  thus  his  initial  acquisition  may  have  some  practical 
value,  nineteen  will  give  them  no  postgraduate  attention.  Shall  the 
interests  and  better  culture  of  the  other  nineteen  be  sacrifized  for 
his  solitary  benefit  ?  Such  embellishment,  (if  forsooth,  they  merit 


COLLEGIATE  CONTROL  AND  CULTURE.  25 

that  appellation)  are  too  costly  to  justify  the  investment  of  such  an 
amount  of  funds,  and  too  insignificant  to  deserve  so  much  time  and 
attention,  in  a  curriculum  whose  primary  mission  is  discipline,  sturdy 
and  symmetrical.  The  legitimate  inference  is  obvious,  demonstra- 
ting both  the  comparative  disciplinary  power  and  instructive  ele- 
ments of  the  two.  Now  if  an  entire  substitution  of  living  for  dead 
languages  proved  a  sad  blunder,  would  not  even  a  partial  use  of 
these  rise  to  the  gravity  of  a  mistake  ?  What  is  the  candid,  actual 
fact  in  the  case  ?  Is  not  this  patent  and  undeniable,  that  the  smat- 
tering knowledge  of  German  and  French  obtained  by  the  student,  in- 
two  or  three  terms  of  the  last  two  years  of  his  college  course,  does 
not  rise  to  the  dignity  of  a  culture,  nor  reach  the  reality  of  a  practi- 
cal attainment,  and  therefore,  their  study  leaving  no  substantial  evi- 
dence of  any  marked  disciplinary  power  but  rather  the  reverse,  is 
soon  numbered  among  the  things  that  were  and  are  not  ?  The  rea- 
sons for  this  disappointment  may  be  substantially  found  in  two 
causes,  one,  that  as  their  study  is  supposed  to  be  easier  than  that  of 
the  ones  for  which  they  are  substitute,  it  is  therefore,  treated  accord- 
ingly, and  the  other,  the  unwillingness  of  students,  at  that  period  of 
their  course,  to  submit  to  the  drudgery  of  that  primary  drill  in  lin- 
guistic forms  and  structure,  indispensable  to  a  thorough  mastery  of 
a  laneuaee  and  its  literature.  This  conclusion  accords  with  human 

o         o 

experience  and  observation  in  other  things. 

Does  not  their  seeming  failure,  which  we  have  no  doubt  future 
experience  will  demonstrate  to  be  real,  suggest  the  wisdom  of  a  new 
departure  in  the  direction  of  the  old  paths  of  classic  culture  ?  The 
happy  sequence  of  such  a  return  to  a  more  generous  curriculum  of 
classic  studies  would  soon  be  seen,  in  the  symmetry,  breadth  and 
vigor  of  American  scholarship,  and  a  Cis-Atlantic  attainment,  to  a 
greater  or  less  degree,  of  the  literary  force  and  finish  of  a  Macauly, 
a  Gladstone,  a  FajSrcett,  and  a  host  of  English  scholars  and  statesmen, 
who  reached  their  degree  of  college  eminence  and  culture  without 
the  garniture  of  modern  language  in  their  course. 

Let  the  stalwart  culture  of  the  classics  be  extended,  in  due  pre- 
portion,  over  portions  of  the  entire  four  years,  and  then  the  results 
may  fearlessly  challenge  comparison  with  the  product  of  any  and  all 
the  educational  humbugs  of  the  age.  The  directors  of  the  higher 
educational  institutions  of  the  country  might  learn  a  valuable  lesson 
from  the  fable  of  the  Lioness  and  the  Fox,  and,  like  the  mistress  of 
the  forest,  be  satisfied  with  the  character  rather  than  the  number  of 


26  NEW    DEPARTURES   IX 

their  literary  progeny.  There  is  too  much  in  the  competitive  char- 
acter of  the  times  that  resembles  the  immigrant's  ambitious  address  to 
his  only  hen,  who,  having  largely  supplemented  the  contents  of  her 
nest,  through  the  kind  contributions  of  neighbors,  inaugurated  the 
labors  of  his  incubating  fowl,  with  this  laconic  utterance,  "  Now 
spread  yourself."  There  are  too  many  points  of  analogy  between 
his  short-sighted  wisdom  and  the  policy  of  many  scheming  educators, 
to  be  pleasant  themes  of  contemplation,  except  as  admonitory  les- 
sons. Let  the  genuine  college  be  true  to  its  mission,  and  content  with 
its  proper  sphere ;  then  she  will  have  reason  to  be  proud  of  her  off- 
spring. Let  not  those,  in  charge  of  its  interests  and  work,  be  led 
astray  by  any  foolish  ambition  like  that  of  the  immigrant's,  who,  ignor- 
ing the  incubating  capacity  and  habits  of  his  solitary  fowl,  found  him- 
self at  the  expiration  of  a  given  period,  the  possessor,  not  of  a  fine 
brood  of  chickens,  but  a  crowded  nest  of  addled  eggs. 

We  close  the  discussion  of  this  topic  with  a  feeling,  kindred  to  a 
settled  conviction,  that  while  classical  instruction  has  greatly  im- 
proved in  character,  within  the  last  thirty  years,  yet  its  field  of  op- 
erations has  been  seriously  curtailed,  some  of  its  richest  fruits  left 
ungathered,  and  its  best  opportunities  appropriated  by  interlopers 
of  doubtful  antecedents  and  equivocal  claims,  and  also,  that  the 
cause  of  sound  and  reliable  culture  would  suffer  no  loss  by  the 
relegation  of  the  modern  languages  and  also,  of  a  long  portion  of 
what  might  be  properly  termed  scientific  specialities,  to  the  depart- 
ment of  professional  studies.  They  are  obviously  more  nearly  allied 
to  them  in  character  and  mission,  than  to  branches  more  strictly 
disciplinary  in  their  function.  Why  should  they  be  grouped  among 
the  developing  agencies  of  recognized  character  ? 

If  these  studies,  both  modern  linguistic  and  scientific,  be  truly 
and  properly  specialities,  or  semiprofessional, — and  that  they  should 
be  so  classed,  is  but  a  fair  and  legitimate  inference  from  the  fact  that 
probably  not  one  student  in  fifty  ever  gives  them  any  past  collegiates' 
attention,  why  then  should  they  not  be  kept  out  of  pure  disciplinary 
curricula  ?  Why  should  students,  in  their  pupilary  course,  be  re- 
quired to  pass  over  scientific  ologies  in  all  their  arid  detail  and 
tedious  momenclature,  at  the  expense  of  what  they  need  far  more, 
and  also  of  much  that  would  be  of  far  more  practical  value  to  them  ? 
A  modern  linguist  is  not  made  in  one-fifth,  or  even  one-third  of  a 
Junior's  life,  nor  is  a  Botanist,  Geologist,  Metallurgist  or  Chemist, 
created,  and  all  pronounced  "  very  good,"  within  the  period  of  a 


COLLEGIATE  CONTROL  AND  CULTURE.          2? 

senior's  activities.  What  else,  in  fact,  at  their  very  best,  are  these 
college  scientists  but  mere  sciolists,  in  these  several  departments, 
more  perhaps,  by  stress  of  circumstance,  or  others' unwisdom,  than  by 
their  own  lack  of  efforts  ?  What  but  the  merest  smattering  knowl- 
edge of  either  these  languages  or  sciences  can  be  gained  in  the  period 
usually  allotted  to  their  study,  in  college  curricula  ?  The  suggested 
relegation  of  them  to  scientific  schools,  or  their  appropriate  depart- 
ment in  university  culture,  is  no  crusade  against  them,  but  an  ex- 
pression of  our  high  appreciation  of  them  in  their  proper  sphere, 
and  our  unwillingness  to  stand  by  and  see  them  murdered  in  cold 
blood,  without  a  protest.  It  is  desirable  for  the  success  of  real  cul- 
ture and  sound  scientific  attainment,  that  the  hybrid  Institutions,  a 
sorry  cross  between  a  genuine  college  and  real  university,  should  be 
well  understood  and  a  wide  berth  given  them  by  an  appreciative 
public. 

The  relegation,  suggested,  will  furnish  both  time  and  opportunity 
for  a  more  careful  and  extended  study  of  our  mother  tongue  than  it 
now  receives  in  most  of  our  colleges.  Are  not  the  claims  of  that 
language  worthy  of  consideration,  of  whose  capacity,  past  achieve- 
ment and  future  destiny,  Jacob  Grimm  has  spoken  so  eulogistically  ? 
"  The  English  tongue  is  fully  entitled  to  be  called  a  world-language, 
and  seems  chosen  like  the  Anglo  Saxon  race,  to  rule,  hereafter,  more 
widely,  in  all  the  ends  of  the  earth.  For  in  richness,  rational  power 
and  campactness,  no  living  language  can  be  compared  with  it."  A 
language  sixty-eight  per  cent  of  whose  vocabulary  is  Graeco-Latina, 
thirty  per  cent  Anglo  Saxon,  and  two  per  cent  Celtic,  surely  de- 
serves a  much  larger  portion  of  time  and  attention  than  has  hitherto 
been  given  to  its  elements,  growth,  literature  and  history.  The 
large  per  centage  of  its  elements  being  of  classic  origin,  may  suggest 
even  to  uncultivated  minds,  that,  possibly,  there  may  be  more  wis- 
dom and  worth  in  an  extended  and  thorough  study  of  these  dead 
languages,  so  berated  by  the  zealous  advocates  of  scientific  studies, 
than  they  themselves  were  aware,  or  ever  dreamed.  Even  the  ma- 
ligners  of  liberal  culture  seem  unconscious  of  the  fact  that  they  are 
indebted  to  the  poor  despised  Greek  language  for  the  very  word, 
practical,  on  which  have  rung  so  many  changes,  and  over  which  they 
have  wasted  so  much  eloquence.  What  would  even  the  scientific 
solons,  themselves,  also  do  for  names  for  their  fossil  collections,  did 
not  the  Greek  tongue  come  to  their  rescue  ?  Their  0?r<a  would  be 
running  about  loose,  without  any  f^ya  or  pupa  prefixes,  in  a  deplorable, 


28  NEW  DEPARTURES   IN 

if  not  a  worse  condition  than  Adam  found  them,  at  the  commence- 
ment of  his  designating  labors.  Without  this  Grecian  aid,  the  dis- 
tinguished laborers  in  the  various  departments  of  Natural  Sciences 
would  themselves  be  destitute  of  both  name  and  nomenclature,  even 
the  geologist  would  be,  in  designations,  like  the  man  without  a  country, 
and  his  eocine,  miocene  and  pliocene  classification  would  be  nothing 
else  than  sheer  blanks,  like  chaos  waiting  the  fiat,  "  Let  there  be 
light."  The  whole  family  of  ologies,  more  numerous  than  Jacob's 
household,  from  the  oldest  to  youngest,  from  //oology  to  entomology  > 
would  be  in  as  forlorn  a  situation  as  the  waifs  of  the  street  picked  up 
by  the  police,  or  gathered  into  eleemosynary  retreats,  by  the  hand  of 
benevolence,  It  cannot  be  kept  too  distinctly  in  mind,  that  collegiate 
training,  discipline  and  development,  are  far  more  important  and 
necessary  than  the  mere  acquisition  of  miscellaneous  knowledge,  and 
that  the  latter  should  ever  be  subordinate  to  the  former. 

COLLEGE   OPTIONALS. 

In  this  connection  we  may  properly  notice  another  popular  ex- 
periment, that  will  soon  need  ventilation.  The  fundamental  objec- 
tion to  the  current  hobby  of  the  day,  the  optional  study  feature  of 
college  curricula,  is,  that  it  is  a  pure  assumption,  not  a  demonstation, 
that  the  student  has  the  requisite  wisdom  to  made  a  judicious  choice  ; 
and  it  is  also  a  like  assumption,  not  a  proof,  that  in  fact,  any  such  election 
is  either  desirable  or  wise.  Have  not  wise  men  embodied  in  college 
curricula  the  combined  experience  of  the  past  ?  Is  it  not  almost 
puerile  to  practically  assert  that  youthful  inexperience  is  equal,  if  not 
superior  to  the  matured  wisdom  of  ages  ?  The  whole  optional  scheme 
seems  to  us  to  be  a  forced  concession  to  "Young  America"  wisdom, 
and  not  a  hearty  conviction  on  the  part  of  the  powers  that  be ;  some- 
what analogous  to  the  anti-classical  epidemic  of  previous  experience, 
and  in  fact,  little  short  of  a  barefaced  absurdity,  for  two  reasons,  one 
that  the  student  is  called  upon  in  a  majority  of  cases,  to  make  this 
important  selection,  at  an  age,  when  he  has  neither  the  requisite 
maturity,  nor  wisdom,  to  make  a  judicious  choice  ;  and  the  other  is, 
that  the  election,  when  so  prematurely  made,  is  to  a  greater  or  less 
extent,  based  on  the  real  or  supposed  superior  ease  with  which  the 
substituted  study  can  be  mastered.  Both  of  these  considerations  are 
painfully  indicative  of  the  true  character  of  this  modern  device.  The 
soundness  of  the  above  named  reasons  seems  to  be  strongly  corrobo- 


COLLEGIATE   CONTROL  AND    CULTURE.  29 

rated  by  the  caveat  found  in  catalogue  announcements,  "  No  change 
in  optional  studies  will  be  permitted  in  term  time,"  a  wise  provision 
against  contingences,  and  highly  suggestive  not  only  of  student 
fickleness  and  incapacity  to  make  so  grave  an  election,  but  also  of 
adult  folly  in  devolving  such  reponsibility  on  immature  years. 

The  intellectual  magnates  of  the  past  and  passing  generation 
were  not  nourished  on  the  namby-pamby  diet  of  modern  languages, 
and  the  elective  ologies  that  now  grace  the  curricula  of  the  spread- 
eagle  type  of  colleges,  which,  like  the  frog  in  the  fable  that  inflated 
itself  till  substance  could  not  longer  resist  the  expansive  power  of 
compressed  air,  may  be  in  peril  of  a  similar  fate.  Such  'men  as 
Webster,  Calhoun,  Choate  and  a  host  of  eminent  statesmen  and 
lawyers  ;  Alexander,  Crosby  and  Headly  in  linguistic  research  and  at- 
tainment ;  Mussey,  Wyman  and  Mott  in  the  medical  profession,  and 
a  multitude  of  ministerial  worthies  that  might  be  named,  did  not 
reach  their  distinguished  eminence,  in  the  palace  cars  of  modern 
languages  and  scientific  option,  now  so  multitudinous  as  to  outnum- 
ber even  the  switches  of  great  railroad  centers.  It  is  said  in  a  recent 
work,  that,  at  Harvard,  five  twelfths  of  the  studies  are  required,  and 
seven  twelfths  are  optional,  and  "  she  offers  one  hundred  and  ten 
elective  studies,  providing  for  two  hundred  and  seventy  recitations 
per  week."  This  programme,  whether  wise,  or  otherwise,  partially 
solves  the  enigma  involved  in  a  students  reply  to  the  enquiry,  "  Of 
what  class  are  you  a  member  ?"  "  I  do  not  know  till  I  graduate."  It 
is  to  be  hoped  that  John  Hopkins'  institution  will  not  come  down 
into  the  hybrid  arena,  but  maintain  her  self-respect  and  fulfil  the 
high  and  dignified  mission  of  a  real  University,  unquestioned,  and 
worthy  of  the  name. 

Let  the  Goliah  advocates  of  the  optional  system,  now  so  boast- 
fully defying  the  hosts  of  classic  learning,  remember  the  old  caution, 
"  Let  not  him  that  putteth  on  the  armor  boast  as  he  that  putteth 
it  off."  It  will  be  wiser  and  more  appropriate  to  prefer  their  claim 
to  educational  superiority  when  their  literary  progeny  have  reached 
full  stature  and  mature  age,  and  proved  their  giant  pedigree  by 
the  actual  possession  of  the  genuine  number  of  fingers  and  toes  of 
superior  discipline  and  richer  culture.  Till  then,  let  them  postpone 
their  scoffs  and  supercilious  disdain  of  the  modest  David  of  less  pre- 
tensious  airs  and  more  solid  work. 

It  is  greatly  to  be  deplored  that  the  restive  impatience  of  inex- 
perienced youth,  in  the  direction  of  those  studies  that  best  develop 


30  NEW  DEPARTURES  IN 

and  train  the  mind  to  stalwart  vigor  and  reliable  action  in  subse- 
quent life,  has  received  such  consideration  at  the  hands  of  staunch 
advocates  of  classic  learning,  college  Boards  and  their  respective  Fac- 
ulties. The  character  or  extent  of  that  deference  crops  out  in  the 
substitutes  and  electives  that  have  been  injected  into  those  college 
courses,  whose  previous  disciplinary  power  and  culture,  time  honored 
experience  has  abundantly  illustrated  and  proved.  The  compromise 
seems  to  us  to  have  more  elements  of  weakness  than  wisdom,  and 
that  its  real  basis  is  not  conviction,  but  fickle  expediency,  which  is 
as  deceptive  and  unwise  in  mental  as  in  moral  experiments. 

A  recent  examination  of  college  curricula  reveals  the  comforting 
fact,  that  the  ravages  of  the  optional  fever  have  not  been  so  extensive 
in  the  rural,  as  in  the  metropolitan  Institutions.  The  former  have 
not  ventured  out  so  far  on  the  sea  of  this  experiment,  as  the  latter. 
This  may,  perhaps  be  owing  more  to  their  poverty  than  superior 
wisdom.  Which  ever  it  may  be,  let  them  thank  God  for  the  wis- 
dom, or  even  the  poverty  that  has  kept  them  within  the  shore  line  of 
former  experience,  and  also,  trust  Him,  for  future  guidance,  in  the  way 
of  loyalty  to  conviction  of  what  is  true,  use/ul  and  wise. 

The  currents  of  popular  caprice  and  fancied  wisdom  are  far  more 
fickle  and  fallacious  than  even  the  currents  of  the  ocean.  What 
skilful  navigator  hesitates  for  a  moment,  to  cut  or  cross  these,  at  any 
or  all  angles,  that  the  interests  of  his  employers  demand  ?  As  in 
steam  navigation,  head  winds,  cross  tides  and  opposing  currents  are 
practically  ignored  or  disregarded,  so  in  literary,  let  the  will  power 
of  tried  wisdom  control,  take  the  noonday  observations,  and  work  out 
the  daily  latitude  and  longitude  of  the  educational  voyage.  There 
is  no  place  for  amateur  navigators  on  board  this  craft,  for  the  inter- 
ests of  the  owners,  underwriters  and  passengers,  forbid  the  presence 
or  control  of  any  such  pilots.  In  taking  leave  of  this  topic  we  will 
throw  out  this  interrogative  suggestion.  Is  not  the  optional  study 
policy  an  unconscious  admission  of  the  existence  of  serious  evils,  and 
does  it  not,  also  indicate  to  some  extent,  their  character  and  loca- 
tion ?  The  old  en  masse  method  of  instruction,  as  set  forth  in 
another  part  of  this  paper,  furnished  just  ground  for  complaint  and 
dissatisfaction.  Unfortunately  the  remedial  policy  took  the  optional, 
rather  than  the  sectional  classification,  Jype.  The  latter  is  manifestly 
in  the  line  of  a  higher  grade  of  both  classical* and  mathematical  cul- 
ture, and  wisely  conducive  to  its  accomplishment.  We  have  not  the 
slightest  apprehension  that  the  final  results  of  the  optional  experiment, 


COLLEGIATE  CONTROL  AND  CULTURE.  3! 

(for  it  can   claim  no  nearer  kindred  to  wisdom),  will  be  any  thing 
other  than  in  harmony  with  the  views  thus  frankly  expressed. 

THE   IRREPRESSIBLE   CONFLICT. 

The   issue,   however,  may  be  considered  as  fairly  and  squarely 
taken.     Modern  wisdom  has  thrown  down  the  gauntlet  to  classic  cul- 
ture and  defied  her  advocates  to  take  it  up.     The  scientific  crusaders 
with  their  confederates,  of  divers  stripes,  have  opened  the  campaign, 
by  the  construction  of  a  railroad  into  the  very  heart  of  the  disputed 
territory,  and  propose   to  carry  passengers  to  the  promised  land,  at 
reduced  rates  and  a  higher  speed.     By  the  establishment  of  a  rival 
road,  a  right  royal  highway  to  knowledge,  the  new  corporation  con- 
fidently expect  to  run  the  old  company  into  bankruptcy  and  a  tame 
surrender  of  their  chartered  rights.     They  invite,  by  various  devices, 
the  public  to  take  passage  in  their  light  and  splendid  coaches,  on  the 
narrow  gage,   short  line,  running  into  the   grand  central  depot  of 
"  Practical  Education"  recently  erected,  at  great  expense  of  brains 
and  funds,  on  north  side  of  the  **  Hill  of  Science,"  at  the  foot  of  its 
rugged  sides  and  in  full  view  of  the  dense  clouds  that  envelop  its 
towering  clifts.     The  Company,  by  the  greatly  reduced  cost  of  con- 
struction and  equipment  of  their  road,  are  able  to  make  large  reduc- 
tion both  in  the  ordinary  fares  and  the  sleeping  and  dining-room  car 
charges.     Their  engineers  are  men  of  large  experience  and  scientific 
attainments,  the  conductors  are  affable,  polite  and  ready  to  answer 
all  questions,  and  the  passengers  are  furnished  with  patent  checks 
for  baggage  and  can  stop  off  at  any  station.     The  only  reply  to  these 
posters,  stuck  up  at  every  cross  road,  that  the  old  company  has  seen 
fit  to  make,  is, that  their  trains  run  on  steel  rails  of  the  heaviest  weight 
and  their  depot  is  located  on  a  southern  spur  of  the  Hill  of  Science, 
in  full  view  of  its  sunlit  summit.     No  sleepers  or  dining  room  cars 
run  on  this  road.     If  the  first  train  on  the  flat  bar  met  with  a  Gas- 
conade catastrophy,  would  it  be  wise  to  take  the  new  route,  even  if 
the  tickets  have  insurance  coupons  attached  ? 

In  other  words,  the  friends  of  classic  learning,  sturdy  discipline 
and  sterling  moral  culture  will  have  nothing  to  fear  from  this  maraud- 
ing fancy,  when  the  suggested  revision  is  made  and  the  supplemental 
modifications  are  thoroughly  incorporated  into  the  system  of  super- 
vision, training  and  control.  The  patronage,  which  College  Boards- 
seek  and  desire  to  secure  by  the  prompt  adoption  of  such  improve- 


32  NEW  DEPARTURES   IN 

ments  as  experience  and  practical  wisdom  suggest  and  approve,  will 
be  cheerfully  and  liberally  accorded  to  them,  and  ample  material  will 
be  furnished  to  faithful  and  wide-awake  Faculties,  on  which  to  ex- 
pend their  utmost  skill. 

One  effort  of  this  irrepressible  conflict  will,  undoubtedly,  be  an 
extensive,  if  not  complete  riddance  of  not  a  little  of  the  countless 
impediments,  which  in  the  guise  of  conceit,  unconscious  ignorance, 
aimless  purpose,  and  inveterate  laziness,  have  hitherto  so  severely 
taxed  the  patience,  ingenuity  and  firmness  of  teachers  to  eliminate. 
Under  a  firm  and  rigid  adherance  to  conviction  of  what  is  wise  and 
true,  on  the  part  of  Boards  of  control  and  instruction,  much  of  the 
crude  and  floating  mass  of  wild  educational  speculation  will  soon  "  go 
to  its  own  place." 

Though  the  classics  may  be  temporarily  pushed  to  the  wall,  or 
crowded  into  a  corner,  and  even  branded  as  outlaws,  as  they  were, 
more  than  forty  years  ago,  yet  they  can  bide  their  time,  for  the 
present  scientific  billow  seems  but  a  type  of  the  huge  anticlassic  wave 
which,  though  it  then  swelled  and  roared,  and  even  threatened  to 
sweep,  to  a  bottomless  gulph,  all  vestages  of  classic  lore,  soon  passed 
by,  and  found  its  level  in  the  great  ocean  of  exploded  experiment. 
Let  no  one  be  either  impatient  or  desponding,  for  the  day  of  reac- 
tion will  surely  come,  which  will  sweep  the  track,  of  all  incumbent 
rubbish,  and  reinstate  them  more  firmly  than  ever,  as  the  grand  un- 
rivalled conservators  of  mental  discipline  and  symmetrical  culture. 
What  could  more  effectually  forestall  the  fulfilment  of  Lamartine's 
sad  prediction,  "  Before  this  century  closes,  journalism  will  be  the 
press,  the  whole  of  human  thought.  Thought  will  not  have  had  time 
to  ripen  and  assume  a  book-form  costume.  The  book  will  arrive  too 
late  ;  the  only  book,  possible,  soon,  will  be  a  newspaper,"  than  a 
stalwart  and  thorough  classic  drill  and  culture?" 

The  basis  of  this  confidence  of  success,  notwithstanding  the  popu- 
lar hue  and  cry,  a  "practical  education  "  and  even  a  temporary  hum- 
bug triumph,  is  the  conviction,  that,  however  great  the  abundance  of 
scientific  wisdom  and  the  thousands  of  its  admirers  and  professors, 
yet  there  are,  and  ever  will  be  found,  in  every  intelligent  community, 
people  enough,  who  appreciate  mental  discipline  as  a  real  entity, 
know  that  its  acquisition  is  the  product  of  nothing  short  of  a  wise 
thorough  and  practical  training,  and  can  also,  distinguish  the  differ- 
ence between  the  semblance  and  substance,  to  assure  earnest  and 
faithful  workers  an  ample  supply  of  rich  and  reliable  material. 


COLLEGIATE   CONTROL  AND  .CULTURE.  33 

Though  the  latter,  less  blatant  and  boisterous,  may,  for  a  while,  be 
like  Gideon's  three  hundred  lappers,  and  the  former  the  appropriate 
representative  of  his  ten  thousand  loungers,  yet  there  is  no  uncer- 
tainty who  will  be  the  victors.  Honest  work  is  a  currency  that  will 
ever  be  at  par,  and  in  no  department  of  human  enterprise  is  the 
figure  more  emphatically  illustrated  than  in  the  realm  of  higher 
culture. 

Nay,  more,  so  profound  is  the  conviction  of  the  reality  and  in- 
trinsic worth  of  thorough  and  symmetrical  training,  that  were  an  In- 
stitution to  adopt  the  suggested  "  New  departures  of  supervision  con- 
trol and  instruction,"  both  biblical  and  classical,  test  them  in  good 
faith,  with  parental  firmness  and  perfect  independence  of  the  whims 
and  caprices  of  a  fickle  and  croaking  public,  and  faithfully  and  nobly 
work  in  the  direction  of  its  eclectic  -model,  patronage  would  soon 
exceed  its  capacity  of  accommodations,  and  thus,  others  be  stimulated 
to  imitate  its  example.  Such  independence  and  fidelity  to  convic- 
tion would  attract  attention  and  draw  material  of  the  best  quality, 
as  well  as  in  rich  abundance,  from  all  parts  of  the  country.  Maine 
and  California  would  have  their  representatives  within  its  walls. 

LENGTH  OF  THE  COLLEGE  YEAR. 

There  is  another  topic,  which  may  not  be  unworthy  of  the  atten- 
tion of  college  trustees,  and  which  ere  long  may  justly  claim  their 
consideration  and  action.  The  American  views  and  usages  in  refer- 
ence to  the  length  of  the  college  year,  are  much  more  in  accordance 
with  the  dictates  of  common  sense  than  those  prevalent  in  England. 
The  length  of  the  annual  college  sessions  at  Oxford  is  only  twenty-six 
weeks,  and  at  Cambridge  twenty-three,  and  the  entire  period  of  re- 
quired attendance,  for  graduation,  is  but  eighty-four  weeks.  One 
university  syncopates  senior  year  to  fifteen,  and  the  other  to  six 
weeks.  There  is  also  this  curious  and  anomalous  fact,  in  connection 
with  the  abridged  period  of  the  fourth  years^  study,  that  there  is  no 
recognition  of  its  serious  curtailment  in  the  annual  charge  for  tuition 
and  room.  This  reminds  us  of  the  somewhat  analogous  custom  in 
American  colleges,  of  charging  a  student  who  enters  an  advance  class, 
back  tuition,  unless  he  came  from  another  college.  Perhaps,  also, 
the  foolish  custom  of  a  senior  vacation  of  five  or  six  weeks  before 
commencement,  once  prevalent  in  the  older  colleges,  had  a  Trans- 
atlantic origin,  and  was  designed  to  be  only  a  modest  and  reduced  copy 


34  NEW  DEPARTURES   IN 

of  the  grand  original  six  months  senior  vacation  of  the  English  uni- 
versities. 

Possibly  Harvard  or  Yale  antiquarians  might  trace  its  origin 
to  the  early  college  custom  of  seniors  delivering  their  graduating 
speeches  at  the  opening,  rather  than  the  close  of  the  college  year, 
hence  the  familiar  term,  "  Commencement,"  which,  then,  was  an  ap- 
pellation both  appropriate  and  suggestive  of  a  completed  and  rounded 
period  of  four  years  collegiate  study,  and  also,  of  the  practical  fact, 
that,  while  the  remaining  classes  enter  on  a  new  stage  of  their 
educational  career,  the  graduating  class  now  commence  life's  expe- 
rience of  being  no  longer  "  under  tutors  and  governors."  That 
custom  gave  them  a  long  vacation  in  which  to  make  their  prepara- 
tion. But  when  experience  suggested  the  wisdom  of  transferring 
graduating  exercises  from  the  beginning  to  the  close  of  the  college 
year,  the  name  of  that  anniversary  seems  to  have  shared  in  the  trans- 
position of  time  of  its  occurrence,  without  attracting  attention  to  the 
incongruity  of  its  application  to  the  new  departure.  So  much,  by 
way  of  exposition  of  the  archaeology  of  the  name  of  the  great  literary 
anniversary  of  the  country. 

If  the  modern  senior  vacation  was  appropriated  to  the  aforesaid 
preparation,  its  propriety  might  not  be  so  justly  questioned,  but 
when  it  is  known  that  all  such  labor  must  be  completed,  in  advance 
of  that  holiday  period,  the  absurdity  of  a  plea  for  either  the  intro- 
duction, or  the  continuance  of  the  custom,  becomes  too  manifest,  and 
its  insincerity  too  gross  for  toleration.  If  the  substance  has  de- 
parted, why  foolishly  cling  to  the  shadow  ?  This  exotic  has  had  a 
slow  growth  west  of  the  Alleghanies,  and  it  seems  the  consummation 
of  unwisdom  to  attempt  to  galvanise  into  life  what  is  fast  becoming 
a  fossil  on  most  of  the  Atlantic  slopes.  This  is  another  college 
tramp  that  needs  legislative  extirpation,  and  richly  merits  the  prompt 
attention  of  College  Boards  of  Control. 

The  annual  period  of  study  in  our  colleges  has,  hitherto,  been, 
for  divers  reasons,  a  somewhat  variable  quantity,  yet  gradually  ap- 
proaching a  substantial  uniformity.  The  American  maximum  is 
forty-two  weeks, 'and  the  minimun  not  less  than  thirty-six,  in  striking 
contrast  with  the  brevity  of  the  collegiate  year  in  the  English  Uni- 
versities. It  is  obviously  wise  for  Boards  to  secure  to  the  student  as 
long  a  period  of  tuition  in  each  year  of  his  college  training  as  may  be 
consistent  with  a  due  regard  to  health.  Anything  short  of  this  is  his 
loss,  and  the  Institution  failing  to  meet  the  legitimate  obligation  of  its 


COLLEGIATE   CONTROL  AND   CULTURE.  35 

mission.  There  seems  no  good  reason  why  the  annual  aggregate  of 
college  vacation  should  be  more  than  ten,  or  twelve  weeks,  at  the 
longest.  The  mother  college  of  the  Mississippi  valley  entered  on  her 
career  with  a  vacation  programme  of  ten  weeks,  and  we  are  not  aware 
that,  in  her  more  than  fifty  years  mission,  she  ever  made  anything, 
in  the  period  of  it,  but  merely  in  the  distribution.  She  has  sent  out 
many  stalwart  sons  z/wcrippled  by  dispepsia  or  other  diseases  claiming 
kindred  to  a  too  close  and  protracted  confinement  to  hard  study.  Is 
not  her  example  worthy  of  consideration  and  imitation  ?  The  ten- 
dency to  reduce  the  length  of  the  college  year  comes  out  in  replies 
to  a  question  on  this  point.  The  true  source  and  animus  of  this  re- 
duction we  will  not  attempt  to  indicate,  but  merely  suggest  the  wis- 
dom of  the  expansion  of  the  study,  rather  than  vacation  period, 
mauger  the  maledictions  that  the  advice  may  provoke  from  some  dis- 
interested  sources. 

THE   BIBLE   A  COLLEGE  TEXT-BOOK. 

Does  the  Bible  occupy  its  true  and  proper  position  in  the  college 
curricula  of  our  country?  is  an  inquiry  of  fundamental  and  practical 
importance.  It  is,  in  fact,  a  live  issue,  destined  erelong  to  reach  the 
front  and  demand  recognition  and  action.  Touching,  as  it  does, 
on  points  of  vital  interest,  civil,  social  and  religious,  it  justly  claims  a 
prompt,  earnest  and  candid  consideration  from  three  classes,  society 
at  large,  the  custodians  of  our  higher  institutions  and  those  enjoying 
their  culture.  The  community  sorely  needs  all  the  moral  invigora- 
tion  that  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  Scriptures,  on  the  part  of  those 
standing  on  the  high  places  of  influence  and  power,  can  impart  to 
the  body  politic.  College  trustees  are  justly  responsible  to  the 
public,  patrons  and  pupils,  for  ample  provision  for  biblical  training  of 
the  youth  in  charge,  the  full  benefit  of  which  the  future  men  of 
culture  and  control  in  this  land  must  have,  or  we  are  a  doomed 
nation. 

In  these  times  of  effort  and  struggle  to  eliminate  some  of  the 
alarming  evils  of  the  age  and  retrace  the  steps  that  have  led  us  astray 
into  political,  social  and  moral  obliquities  of  startling  character,  noth- 
ing could  be  more  appropriate  or  pertinent  to  the  end  sought,  than  an 
honest  and  thorough  discussion  of  the  question  standing  at  the  head 
of  our  opening  paragraph. 

Efforts,  whether  trivial,  or  serious  and  far  reaching,  have  their  ap- 


36  NEW  DEPARTURES   IN 

propriate  and  legitimate  causes;  and  experience  has  long  since  taught 
those  seeking  to  avert  dangers,  eradicate  evils  and  inaugurate  real 
and  substantial  reform  in  a  given  line  of  human  progress,  to  rest  their 
hope  of  ultimate  and  permanent  success  in  nothing  short  of  a  tho- 
rough and  exhaustive  investigation  of  the  case  in  hand,  and  a  cor- 
responding application  of  the  appropriate  remedies.  In  such  inqui- 
ries as  the  subject  now  proposed  for  consideration,  there  is  no  au- 
thority so  pertinent  and  conclusive,  no  correction  so  radical  and  re- 
liable, no  counsel  so  wise  and  satisfactory,  as  the  Bible  principles  and 
inculcations.  They  are  applicable  to  all  human  wants  under  the  ever 
varying  circumstances  of  earthly  experience,  and  to  none  are  they 
more  important  and  instructive  than  to  youth  developing  into  man- 
hood, under  the  molding  powers  of  a  thorough  intellectual  culture. 
They  are  absolutely  essential  to  a  complete  and  symmetrical  moral 
training,  in  the  formative  period  of  youthful  character  and  habits. 
They  cannot  be  dispensed  with,  neglected,  nor  despised,  without 
peril  and  ultimate  ruin  to  the  individual,  and  serious  loss  and  damage 
to  the  commonwealth  of  which  he  is  a  member. 

Let  us  note  a  few  illustrations  of  their  pertinence,  truth  and 
power.  In  the  Old  Testament,  the  Divine  Law  stands  forth  in  all 
its  uniqueness,  simplicity,  perfection  and  majesty,  and  in  the  New, 
its  divinely  authorized  epitome,  is  equally  conspicious,  the  only  infalli- 
ble guide  of  individual  conduct  and  the  true  basis  of  all  sound  juris- 
prudence and  wise  legislation.  Then  follow  those  axiomatic  utter- 
ances, so  expressive  of  human  experience,  both  punitive  and  praise- 
worthy, admonitive  and  commendatory.  "  Be  sure,  your  sin  will  find 
you  out,"  (whether  personal  or  national)  is  as  true  and  salutary  now, 
as  it  was  when  it  first  fell  from  the  lips  of  the  Jewish  Lawgiver. 
"  Pride  goeth  before  destruction  and  a  haughty  spirit  before  a  fall," 
gives  us,  in  no  slight  degree,  a  clue  to  the  real  cause  of  most  of  the 
financial  distress  and  ruin  that  have  overwhelmed  both  nations  and 
individuals.  "  They  that  will  be  rich,  fall  into  temptation  and  a 
snare,"  not  only  illustrates  the  deceitfulness  of  riches,  but  also  throws 
the  light  of  midday  revelation  on  the  history  of  many  a  hopeless 
bankrupt,  both  financial  and  moral.  "  The  hand  of  the  diligent 
maketh  rich  "  contains  the  germ  of  all  real  and  permanent  thrift,  and 
is  the  genuine  backbone  and  basis  of  *true  economy,  both  personal 
and  political.  "  Godliness  is  profitable  unto  all  things,  having  promise 
of  the  life  that  now  is  and  of  that  which  is  to  come,"  is  an  inspired 
utterance,  revealing  to  the  votaries  of  Mammon  the  true  riches,  whose 


COLLEGIATE   CONTROL  AND   CULTURE.  .        37 

attainment  is  the  crowning  mission  of  life.  Such  passages  are  highly 
suggestive  of  the  ethical  value  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  and  the 
supreme  wisdom  of  giving  their  principles  and  precepts  far  more  time 
and  consideration  than  they  now  receive  in  any  college  in  the  land. 

Under  no  form  of  civil  government  do  the  animus  and  acts  of 
rulers  reflect  so  directly  and  truly,  the  wisdom,  or  the  lack  of  it,  on 
the  part  of  the  ruled,  as  in  a  representative  democracy.  Civil  office 
is  a  mirror,  of  magic  power  and  accuracy,  in  which  representative 
and  constituency  are  compelled  to  look  each  other  and  themselves 
squarely  in  the  face,  and  contemplate  their  respective  images,  how- 
ever unlovely,  or  otherwise,  they  may  be.  The  incumbents  of  official 
position  are  the  unchallengable  types  of  those  who  put  them  there, 
nor  can  their  legitimate  paternity  be  justly  questioned.  The  major- 
ity's moral  images  and  superscription  are  stamped  upon  their  repre- 
sentative, as  distinct  and  ineffaceable  as  the  impress  on  the  coin  of 
the  country.  In  our  Legislative  and  Congressional  Halls  may  be 
found  political  and  moral  types  of  every  grade,  shading  off  from  the 
high-toned,  incorruptable  and  patriotic  statesman,  down  to  the  reck- 
less, trustless  and  demagogical  representation  of  city  slums,  and 
rural  civilization  of  corresponding  shade. 

Under  these  inevitable  sequences,  it  is  obvious  that  the  common- 
wealth is  no  mere  idle  and  uninterested  spectator  of  the  proposed 
discussion,  but  has  far  too  much  at  stake,  in  the  direction  of  a  right 
solution  of  the  question  raised,  not  to  be  numbered  among  the 
parties  whose  welfare  demands  a  thorough  investigation  and  an 
honest  verdict.  The  community  may  justly  claim  precedence  of 
consideration,  embracing  as  it  does,  in  its  ample  folds,  all  shades  and 
types  of  political  thought  and  policy,  all  degrees  of  mental  culture, 
moral  development  and  religious  progress.  Its  energetic  and  patri- 
otic purpose  and  wise  activities,  however  divergent,  seemingly,  and 
antagonistic,  are  all  professedly  aimed  at  the  public  welfare.  From 
such  distant  and  diverse  standpoints  does  even  the  best  of  human 
thought  slowly  converge  to  the  common  centre,  the  general  good, 
and  the  discovery  of  truth.  There  is,  therefore,  a  stern  and  obvious 
necessity  that  these  rays-,  more  or  less  distorted  by  prejudice,  or  be- 
dimmed  by  ignorance  or  moral  obliquity,  should  pass  through  some 
recognized  and  accepted  medium,  to  correct  their  incidental  aberra- 
tion. What  medium  could  there  be  more  appropriate,  pure  and 
perfect,  than  the  law  of  the  Lord,  so  beautifully  set  forth  in  the  nine- 
teenth Psalm  ? 


3§  NEW   DEPARTURES   IN 

There  is  another  characteristic  feature  of  human  masses,  for  what- 
ever object  combined,  that  bears  on  the  point  at  issue,  the  necessity 
of  leaders  to  shape  and  give  a  right  direction  to  their  purpose  and 
power.  Every  host,  whether  political  or  military,  must  have  leaders, 
competent  and  trustworthy,  would  they  secure  the  triumph  of  sound 
principles  and  a  wise  administration  of  civil  government,  or  achieve 
a  military  victory.  These  masses,  also,  for  lack  of  culture  and 
trained  habits  of  reflection,  depend,  in  no  slight  degree,  on  their 
fellows  of  more  gifted  intellects  and  liberal  education,  to  formulate 
their  views,  form  their  creeds  and  political  platforms,  direct  and  con- 
trol their  fir  arcial  and  eleemosynary  enterprises. 

Popular  opinion,  unaided  by  such  training  and  wisdom,  vibrates, 
back  and  forth,  over  every  degree  of  the  arc  of  its  fluctuations,  from 
profound  conservatism  to  reckless  radicalism,  on  all  subjects  within 
the  purview  of  the  people's  consideration  and  action.  This  natural 
instability  of  uneducated  sentiment,  has  long  since  taught  the  un- 
trained masses  to  distrust,  in  no  slight  degree,  their  own  judgment, 
and  lead  them  to  supplement  their  lack  of  wisdom  and  knowledge,  by 
a  proper  deference  to  the  opinion  of  more  gifted  powers  and  liberal 
culture.  Mere  mental  discipline  and  development,  however  finished 
and  profound,  fail  to  meet  and  satisfy  the  demands  of  man's  asso- 
ciated necessities.  Without  the  moral  complement,  literary  train- 
ing, let  it  be  ever  so  wise  and  complete,  is,  at  its  best  estate,  but  an 
unsolved  problem  of  doubtful  issue.  Even  the  untutored  masses  of 
sound  moral  instructors  are  not  unconscious  of  the  radical  defect,  and 
are  slow  to  accord  their  unquestioned  confidence  and  cordial  trust  to 
any  of  doubtful  moral  antecedents.  This  homage,  though  almost 
unconscious,  yet  not  the  less  real,  paid  to  moral  worth,  indicates  the 
popular  estimate  of  its  intrinsic  value  and  absolute  necessity  for  na- 
tional permanence  and  prosperity.  Whatever  modification  or  en- 
largement of  the  curriculum  of  study  in  our  higher  institutions,  that 
will  more  effectually  meet,  and  satisfy,  the  demands  of  a  thorough 
and  extended  culture  of  the  hearts  of  our  youth,  developing  their 
moral  sensibilities  and  bringing  them  into  a  more  intimate  acquaint- 
ance and  cordial  sympathy  with  Bible  characters  and  inculcations, 
will  not  fail  to  receive  the  hearty  approval  of  the  American  people. 

There  is,  also,  in  the  mass  of  our  people,  an  innate  consciousness 
and  conviction,  more  or  less  profound,  that  a  familiarity  with,  and  a 
love  of,  the  precepts  and  principles  of  God's  word,  will  ever  prove  the 
most  effectual  shield  to  our  youth  against  all  the  fiery  darts  of  the 


COLLEGIATE  CONTROL  AND  CULTURE.  39 

adversary  and  the  corruptive  suggestions  of  their  own  evil  natures; 
and  therefore,  they  are  deeply  interested  in  a  prompt  and  hearty 
adoption  of  the  New  Departure  policy,  suggested  by  our  initial  enquiry, 
and  will  not  be  slow,  nor  equivocal,  in  the  expression  of  their  senti- 
ments in  the  premises.  Their  verdict  would  be,  give  young  America 
the  full  benefit  resulting  from  a  careful  study  of  the  historical  and 
biographical  sketches  of  the  Bible.  Nothing  could  more  appro- 
priately and  profitably  occupy  a  due  share  of  their  four  years  college 
course  than  a  profound  study  of  the  prominent  Bible  characters. 
Frequent  visits  to  and  thorough  study  in  such  a  picture  gallery  could 
not  fail  to  produce  happy  and  permanent  results.  Let  them  study 
the  outlines  and  lineaments  of  those  worthies,  whose  life  experience, 
from  early  youth  to  extreme  old  age,  has  been  portrayed  in  those 
sacred  pages,  till  they  are  changed  into  the  same  image.  Let  them 
ponder  those  features  till  they  are  inwrought,  in  all  their  beauty  and 
loveliness,  into  their  own  characters,  both  mental  and  moral,  and  the 
result  will  prove,  at  least,  a  partial  assimilation,  even  by  absorption. 

As  the  educated  mind  of  a  country  is  a  recognized  power,  for 
good  or  evil,  in  whatever  sphere  it  is  found,  whether,  Cincinnatus 
like,  at  the  plough,  or  guiding  legislation,  or  moving  in  professional 
or  business  life,  and,  its  moulding  influence  and  unconscious  tuition 
are  felt  and  appreciated  to  a  much  higher  degree  than  the  popular 
impression  or  a  superficial  glance  would  indicate,  so  therefore,  it  is  a 
matter  of  prime  importance,  that  it  should  receive,  cotemporaneously 
with  its  mental  development,  a  moral  culture  of  higher  worth  than 
Horace  ever  contemplated  in  his  "  Teres  atque  rotundus3'  utterance, 
even  in  an  ethical  application. 

Were  an  American  Christian  to  go  into  the  Mohammedan  Uni- 
versity at  Cairo,  with  its  ten  thousand  students,  nothing  there  wit- 
nessed would  impress  him  so  deeply,  as  the  fact,  that  so  much  time 
is  occupied  and  so  much  attention  given  to  the  study  of  the  Koran ; 
and  a  like  impression  would  be  created,  were  he  to  make  a  similar 
visit  to  a  corresponding  Institution  in  the  sacred  city  of  Benares,  and 
witness  the  exercises  of  that  Brahminical  college  and  listen  to  the 
lectures  of  its  learned  Pundits  on  the  Shaste?- literature  and  religion, 
If,  then,  returning  to  his  native  shores,  he  should  make  a  correspond- 
ing exploration  of  some  of  our  colleges,  proud  of  their  number  of  stu- 
dents and  the  spread  of  their  curricula,  and  ask  the  venerable  presi- 
dent thereof,  Why  has  not  the  Bible  a  place,  if  not  a  prominent  one, 
at  least  a  position,  in  your  course  of  study  ;  what  reply  would  he  re- 


40  NEW    DEPARTURES   IN 

ceive  ?  Would  it  be  anything  but  a  humiliating  one,  awakening  a 
train  of  thought,  not  the  most  pleasant,  or  complimentary  to  our 
consistency  or  profession  as  a  Christian  people  ? 

Were  a  learned  Brahmin,  or  a  Moslem  moblah,  to  visit  one  of 
our  first  class  Universities,  listen  to  the  recitations,  interview  the 
professors,  spend  a  Sabbath  at  the  institution,  witness  the  devotional 
exercises,  call  on  the  president  for  the  last  instalment  of  the  know- 
ledge of  which  he  was  in  pursuit,  and  ask  for  a  catalogue,  and,  running 
his  eye  over  the  course  of  study  but  not  finding  the  Bible  among 
the  textbooks,  should  turn  to  the  venerable  Head  and  scornfully  en- 
quire, u  Where  is  your  Shaster,  or  Koran  ?  "  what  Christian  man  would 
wish  to  be  present,  at  that  interview,  and  witness  the  undisguised 
contempt  with  which  he  would  turn  his  back  on  such  an  Institution, 
and  his  footsteps  toward  his  native  land,  confirmed  in  his  delusion,  or 
idolatry,  by  the  inconsistency  of  such  a  specimen  of  our  Christian 
Universities?  No  special  pleading  or  apologetic  explanation  could 
efface  the  impression  produced  by  his  explorations  and  final  inter- 
view. Are  we  prepared  to  receive  such  distinguished  visitors  and 
court  their  scrutiny  and  comments? 

The  reason  why  more  than  three-fifths  of  the  Bible  are  in 
the  form  of  history  and  biography,  is  evidently  found  in  one  of 
its  own  utterances,  "  As  in  water,  face  answers  to  face,  so  the  heart 
of  man  to  man."  In  other  words,  it  is  a  record  of  human  ex- 
perience, alike  adapted  to  the  comprehension  of  trained  and  un- 
trained intellect,  and  therefore,  becomes,  as  it  were,  a  great  picture 
gallery,  on  whose  walls  are  hung  specimens  of  divine  photography, 
challenging  the  study  of  the  race.  Where  can  such  pictures,  histori- 
cal or  biographical,  bearing  traces  of  a  master  hand,  be  found,  so 
true  and  graphic  ?  Of  the  abstract  type,  what,  in  the  historic  line, 
can  equal  this  sketch?  "  Righteousness  exalteth  a  nation,  but  sin  is 
a  reproach  to  any  people,"  and  in  the  biographical,  the  specimen  is 
no  less  unique  and  significant,  "  Blessed  is  the  man  that  walketh  not 
in  the  counsel  of  the  ungodly,  nor  standeth  in  the  way  of  sinners, 
nor  sitteth  in  the  seat  of  the  scornful."  Of  its  numerous  concrete 
examples,  we  can  indicate  only  a  few,  and  that,  too,  merely  by  some 
one  of  their  most  salient  features. 

Where  do  we  find  a  more  emphatic  expression  of  God's  detesta- 
tion and  abhorence  of  treason,  traitors  and  sympathizers,  than  in 
Numbers  16:  1-50?  Whom  did  an  archangel  accost  with  this  re- 
markable salutation,  "  O  man,  greatly  beloved  ?  "  Who  are  the  three 


COLLEGIATE  CONTROL  AND  CULTURE.          41 

worthies,  whom  God  grouped  together,  and  of  whom  he  said, 
"Though  these  three  men  were  in  the  land,"  (visited  for  its  wicked- 
ness) "  they  only  shall  be  delivered,  themselves?  "  Who  was  that 
ancient  saint,  that  from  the  very  depths  of  affliction,  uttered  these  re- 
markable words  of  triumphant  faith  and  confidence  in  God.  "The 
Lord  gave  and  the  Lord  hath  taken  away,  blessed  be  the  name  of 
the  Lord  ?  "  What  distinguished  statesman  of  Israel,  at  the  end  of  a 
long  life,  challenged  any  one  of  his  countrymen  to  say,  that  he  had 
ever  wronged  him,  in  person  or  property  ?  To  whom,  and  under  what 
circumstances,  was  this  terrible  announcement  made.  "  Inasmuch  as 
thou  hast  let  him  go,  whom  I  appointed  unto  death,  thy  life  shall  go, 
for  his  life,  and  thy  people  for  his  people?"  Where  did  sublime  faith 
find  expression,  in  this  emphatic  declaration,  "  Thy  people  shall  be 
my  people,  and  thy  God  my  God  ?  "  In  whose  life  experience  do 
we  find  these  two  characteristic  utterances,  "  As  for  me  and  my 
house,  we  will  serve  the  Lord  ?  "  "  Should  such  a  man  as  I,  fear  ?  " 
Where  can  we  find  such  an  exhibition  of  the  ruling  element  of  char- 
acter, both  of  the  speaker  and  the  person,  to  whom  these  words  were 
addressed  ?  "  Who  knoweth  whether  thou  art  come  to  the  kingdom 
for  such  a  time  as  this  ?"  Who  were  the  two  youths,  one  repelling 
temptation  by  the  suggestive  reply,  "  How  can  I  do  this  great  wick- 
edness and  sin  against  God?  "  while  the  other,  in  getting  his  educa- 
tion, preferred  the  simplest  diet,  to  the  richest  viands,  and  having 
graduated  with  the  highest  honors  of  his  class,  subsequently  rose, 
like  his  noble  peer  of  an  earlier  period,  to  high  rank  and  reached  a 
ripe  old  age  ?  Who  was  he  who  so  wisely  responded  to  the  Divine 
challenge  "  Ask -what  I  shall  give  thee  ?  " 

Where  can  such  groups  of  noble  characters,  as  these,  and  others  of 
kindred  type,  scattered  with  such  rich  profusion  through  the  sacred 
record,  be  found  in  all  the  broad  domain  of  mere  human  literature, 
both  ancient  and  modern  ?  Are  they  not  worthy  of  profound  study 
and  a  corresponding  imitation  ?  What  proportion  of  the  members 
of  all  the  senior  classes  in  our  colleges  could  name  the  individuals 
referred  to  in  the  above  interrogataries?  As  skilfull  naturalists,  with 
a  single  prominent  bone  of  any  animal,  can  reconstruct  a  complete 
skeleton  and  tell  the  genus  to  which  it  belongs,  so,  how  many  of 
these  prospective  graduates  are  such  skilful  scriptural  anatomists,  that, 
from  these  salient  features,  they  could  reproduce  the  Bible  sketches, 
in  such  fullness  as  to  indicate  a  practical  knowledge  of  the  lessons 
designed  to  be  taught  by  them  ?  Who  can  estimate  the  moral  effect 


42  NEW   DEPARTURES   IN 

that  a  careful  study  of  such  specimens  of  character  and  life  ex- 
perience would  produce,  on  the  educated  mind  of  the  country,  in  the 
process  of  its  development,  earnestly  commended  to  its  attention 
by  wise  and  sympathetic  teachers?  How  much  practical  truth 
would  thus  be  lodged  in  heads,  which,  like  the  heart,  have  hitherto 
remained,  both  unblessed  and  undeveloped  by  any  such  analytical 
processes  of  investigation,  or  personal  application  of  such  lessons? 
Why  should  language,  science  and  philosophy,  (to  use  an  agricultural 
figure,)  be  plowed  in,  to  say  nothing  of  the  cross-plowing  and  even 
subsoil  process  of  thorough  drill  in  their  mastery ;  and  biblical 
culture,  receive  either  no  attention,  or  an  amount  that  does  not  rise 
even  to  the  semblance  of  a  culture?  Who  is  responsible  for  such 
ignorance  ? 

It  might,  perhaps,  prove  to  be  unwise,  if  not  hazardous,  to  push 
such  enquires  into  higher  circles,  lest  others  than  undergraduates 
might  be  imperiled  thereby,  "  the  joints  of  whose  harness"  might 
present  openings  to  such  random  shafts  as  would  inflict  annoying,  if 
not  fatal  wounds.  These  are  not  groundless  apprehensions.  How 
many  of  the  legislators  of  our  land,  both  State  and  National,  could 
not  repeat  the  Decalogue,  or  even  the  Lord's  Prayer,  to  say  nothing 
of  the  Seven  Beatitudes?  How,  in  fact,  would  the  Alumni  of  our 
Christian  college  compare  with  the  graduates  of  the  universities  of 
Cairo  and  Benares,  in  relative  knowledge  of  their  respective  sacred 
books  ?  The  very  question  is,  both  ominous  of  the  response,  and 
suggestive,  both  of  past  dereliction  and  the  proper  remedy,  in  the 
direction  of  the  new  departure.  If  the  Koran  of  the  great  Impostor 
receives  such  attention  and  careful  study  from  his  deluded  followers, 
and  the  Shasters  are  no  less  venerated  and  studied  by  the  devotees 
of  Brahma,  Vishnu  and  Siva,  what  amount  of  attention  should  the 
Sacred  Scriptures  receive,  at  the  hands  of  those  who  profess  to  re- 
gard them  as  a  revelation  from  God,  and  what  position  should  they 
occupy  in  the  curricula  of  our  higher  institutions,  is  a  problem  that 
now  claims  consideration  and  solution  at  the  hands  of  college  boards 
of  control. 

Reliable  statistics,  recently  collected,  reveal  some  peculiar  facts 
in  relation- to  collegiate  use,  and  neglect,  of  the  Bible  as  a  textbook. 
Of  forty  six  colleges  reporting,  eighteen  use  it,  in  a  proper  sense,  as  a 
textbook,  and  twenty-eight  do  not.  Of  twelve  New  England  col- 
leges three  use  it,  and  nine  do  not.  Of  twenty-two  Western  institu- 
tions, nine  use  it,  and  thirteen  do  notgive  it  a  place  in  their  curriculum 


COLLEGIATE  CONTROL  AND  CULTURE.  43 

These  comparative  facts  are  very  significant,  as  well  as  suggestive,  in 
this  character. 

It  may  seem,  to  the  Christian  public,  a  strange  announcement 
that,  in  a  majority  of  our  colleges,  the  Bible  has  no  other  recognized 
place  in  their  course  of  instruction  than  in  the  daily  morning  and 
Sabbath  religious  exercises.  These  indeed,  are  appropriate  and  not 
without  some  salutary  influence,  but  who,  that  has  ever  witnessed 
them,  does  not  feel  that  they  are  altogether  inadequate  to  impart 
such  a  knowledge  of  God's  word  as  youth  and  manhood  need?  In 
both  of  these  exercises  the  student's  mind  may  be,  and  often  is,  else- 
where. Neither  of  them  has  the  compulsory  attention  of  a  recitation 
exercise,  reenforced  by  the  certainty  of  a  subsequent  examination. 
The  forlorn  hope,  of  catalogue  statistics,  supplemented  by  the  re- 
sponses made  to  a  circular  inquiry  on  this  point,  reveals  the  fact, 
that,  in  an  overwhelming  majority  of  them,  there  is  an  utter  and  ab- 
solute non-existence  of  any,  even  imperfectly  developed,  system  of 
biblical  culture.  In  a  few  colleges  there  is  a  weekly  recitation  in 
the  Greek  Testament,  required  of  the  two  lower  classes,  in  other  few, 
it  is  in  the  vernacular  tongue.  In  some,  its  study  is  not  subject  to  a 
term,  or,  annual  examination.  In  a  very  few  it  is  placed  on  the  same 
footing  with  other  studies  in  this  respect.  The  study,  as  yet,  is 
largely,  though  not  exclusively  confined  to  the  New  Testament. 
The  time  allotted  to  the  recitation,  also,  varies.  In  some  Institu- 
tions it  is  on  Monday,  or  other  secular  day,  in  other  on  the  Sabbath. 
Biblical  culture,  as  far  as  there  is  any  systematic  provision  for  it  in 
our  colleges,  seems  to  be  passing  through  a  tentative  period,  both  as 
to  time,  method  and  extent.  We  hail  both  its  advent  and  progress, 
and  rejoice  to  know  that,  in  some  localities,  it  has  gotten  out  of  the 
chrysalis  state,  though  in  other,  the  egg  does  not  yet  seem  to  be 
deposited.  The  field  for  biblical  training  in  college  is  both  broad 
and  promising.  Large  portions  of  it  however  are  still  an  unbroken 
prairie,  over  which  the  herds  of  cultivated  ignorance  are  yet  roaming, 
unconscious  of  their  poverty  and  leanness ;  in  others,  the  sod  crop  is 
springing  up,  and  in  others,  the  golden  harvest  is  waving,  under  the 
Spirit's  gentle  breezes. 

The  practical  ignoring  of  the  Book  of  books,  by  a  large  majority 
of  American  colleges,  as  far  as  any  methodical  study  is  required,  or  in- 
struction given  therein,  and  the  comparatively  tentative  and  timor- 
ous policy  adopted  by  some  of  the  small  number  which  recognize  its 
claims  and  worth,  are  phenomena  of  rare  and  unique  type.  It  will 


44  NEW   DEPARTURES   IN 

be  almost  universally  admitted,  theoretically  at  least,  that  no  other 
volume  contains  such  treasures  of  wisdom,  preceptive,  and  practical, 
drawn  from  human  experience  (often  of  a  painful  character)  and 
divine  teaching  ;  no  other  book  presents  such  specimens  of  history, 
biography  and  ethical  instruction,  touching  on  every  point  of  human 
duty,  interest  and  welfare,  both  for  the  world  that  now  is,  and  that 
which  is  to  come  ;  yet,  practically,  heathen  authors  are  often  more 
carefully  read  and  studied  than  the  sacred  scriptures,  and  pagan 
mythology,  not  unfrequently  is  more  familiar  to  classical  students 
than  scriptural  theology.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  loyalty  to  convic- 
tion of  what  God  requires  and  man  needs,  will  not  permit  the  literary 
"  Head  Centers  "  of  the  country  to  yield  to  sceptical  opposition, 
popular  indifference  or  professorial  demurrers,  nor  suffer  this  long 
withheld  provision  for  biblical  instruction  to  be  any  longer  postponed. 
Assurance  may,  with  confidence,  be  given  to  Trustees,  that  homage 
to  truth  and  duty,  on  their  part,  will  receive  a  most  cordial  and 
ample  backing  from  their  most  reliable  patrons,  in  any  wise  scheme 
of  honoring  God's  word. 

One  of  the  most  formidable  obstacles  to  the  introduction  and 
successful  progress  of  this  new  departure,  in  some  institutions,  will 
be  found  in  the  unwillingness  of  professors  to  assume  this  new  re- 
sponsibility and  meet  this  additional  draft  on  their  time  and  biblical 
capital.  Some  may  say,  that  it  is  a  demand  for  labor  not  embraced 
in  the  contract,  and  therefore,  not  obligatory  on  them.  Others  may 
plead  a  want  of  familiarity  with  the  original  languages,  or  a  lack  of 
exegetical  culture,  and  under  these  various  subterfuges  seek  to  con- 
ceal a  want  of  sympathy  with  the  religious  element  of  the  enterprise. 
To  the  former  class  of  demurrers,  let  the  response  be,  Broaden  the 
basis  of  the  contract,  or  dissolve  it ;  and  to  the  latter,  it  may  be  ap- 
propriately said,  for  their  comfort,  that  neither  of  these  deficiencies 
is  a  bar  to  success,  though  both  are  valuable  helps  in  the  work,  for 
the  exercise  will  be  in  the  vernacular  tongue.  To  such  distrustful 
pleas,  it  may  be  a  sufficient  reply,  The  best  supplement  to  your  liberal 
culture  of  such  a  mission,  is  a  cordial  love  of  the  truth,  a  hearty  in- 
terest in  the  spiritual  welfare  of  your  pupils,  and  a  cordial  sympathy 
with  them  in  their  search  "  after  that  godliness  which  is  profitable 
unto  all  things."  What  students  most  need,  is  not  exegetical  train- 
ing, but  a  familiar  acquaintance  with  the  Bible  facts,  so  illustrative 
of  its  doctrinal  revelation.  Let  them,  like  the  Psalmist,  hide  God's 
word  in  their  hearts,  which  safely  lodged  in  their  memories,  like  a 


COLLEGIATE  CONTROL  AND  CULTURE.  45 

sword  in  its  scabbard,  the  Spirit  can  draw  forth  and  wield  in  his  own 
good  time  and  manner. 

Such  a  weekly  exercise  will  furnish  Professors  with  fine  opportu- 
nities, (which  would  not  otherwise  occur)  for  saying  many  things  to 
their  classes,  drawn  from  their  own  experience  and  observation,  that 
may  be  of  great  practical  value  to  them  in  subsequent  life.  To  a 
teacher,  who  wishes  to  leave  an  impress  for  good  on  the  hearts  of 
his  pupils  and  give  a  right  direction  to  their  moral  development, 
nothing  could  be  more  opportune,  or  promising,  than  the  contem- 
plated exercise,  each  Sabbath  morning.  The  time,  opportunity  and 
theme  all  concur  to  aid  his  effort,  stimulate  his  zeal,  and  encourage 
his  purpose.  Familiarity  on  the  part  of  youth,  with  Bible  characters 
and  the  lessons  they  were  designed  to  teach,  is  the  best  preparation 
for  a  profitable  reception  of  the  truth  from  the  sacred  desk.  Many 
of  its  best  utterances  are  either  utterly  lost,  or  greatly  shorn  of  their 
power,  for  lack  of  just  such  kind  of  biblical  training.  When  this 
New  Departure  is  fairly  inaugurated  and  its  power  fully  developed, 
there  will  no  longer  rest  upon  the  Christian  colleges  of  this  country 
the  stigma  of  sending  forth,  annually,  scores  of  graduates  unable  to 
repeat  the  Decalogue,  and  less  familiar  with  God's  revelation  than 
the  moslem  is  with  the  Koran,  or  the  Hindoo  with  the  Shaster. 

On  whom  rests  the  responsibility  of  taking  the  initiatory  step,  in 
the  direction  of  the  proposed  New  Departure?  All  eyes  are  instinc- 
tively turned  to  the  Trustees  for  a  response.  Is  there  not  wisdom 
enough  in  these  venerable  boards  to  find  a  place  and  time  for  this 
biblical  study,  and  firmness  sufficient  to  inaugurate  the  new  policy? 
Is  there  not,  in  their  respective  faculties,  tact  and  talent  sufficient  to 
render  that  study  attractive  and  profitable  to  their  pupils  ;  soul,  and 
sympathy  with  the  sacred  volume  and  its  students,  enough,  to  com- 
mand their  best  efforts  and  enlist  their  hearty  cooperation  in  that  di- 
rection t  Can  the  Hindoo  and  the  Mohammedan  find  time  and  place 
for  a  careful  study  of  their  sacred  books,  and  Christian  Trustees  and 
Teachers  be  unable  to  devise  any  way,  or  means,  or  find  any  nook  or 
corner  in  their  curricula,  for  an  hours  weekly  study  of  God's  word  ? 
Shame  on  such  apathy  and  inaction,  in  a  matter  of  fundamental  im- 
portance ! 

We  hope  and  trust  that  none  will  attempt  to  break  the  force  of 
these  interrogatories,*by  the  vain  assertion  that  the  daily  reading  of 
the  scriptures,  at  chapel  exercises,  and  a  weekly  discourse  on  some 
Bible,  or  semi  biblical  theme,  will  meet  the  moral  necessities  of  the 


46  NEW   DEPARTURES    IN 

students,  or  the  claims  of  that  volume,  whose  Divine  Author  has  left 
us  this  emphatic  injunction,  "  Search  the  Scriptures."  If  there  be. 
however,  any,  disposed  to  seek  shelter  in  such  a  refuge,  or  quiet  their 
consciences  with  such  logic,  let  them  try  its  edge  and  test  its  force 
by  applying  it  to  the  acquisition  of  other  branches  of  knowledge. 
Could  mathematicians,  or  linguists,  profound  and  accurate,  be  made 
by  such  a  process  ?  How  much  of  the  influence  and  instruction  of 
the  chapel  reading,  be  it  ever  so  wise,  expository,  and  devotional,  is 
neutralized,  on  the  very  spot,  by  the  intrusive  thoughts  of  the  recita- 
tion that  is  immediately  to  follow  ?  How  much,  also,  of  the  Sabbath 
afternoon  lecture  is  like  water  spilled  on  the  ground,  through  the 
inattention  of  the  hearers  ?  Truth  delivered  under  such  circum- 
stances, needs  a  boomerang  range  and  curve,  to  reach  the  mark,  and 
an  Australian  skill  and  dexterity,  on  the  part  of  him  who  wields  it. 

There  is  no  apology  for  the  apathy,  or  the  pusillanimity,  that  has 
hitherto  excluded  the  Bible  from  the  curricula  of  so  many  American 
colleges.  The  sceptic  has  manifested  more  consistency  and  moral 
courage  in  the  defence  of  his  negative  religion,  than  many  who  pos- 
sess an  orthodox  and  positive  creed.  He  insists  that  others  shall 
not,  even  by  way  of  any  direct  inference  or  contrast,  assail  his 
shadowy  system,  by  the  introduction  of  Bible  instruction,  whose  power 
and  practical  achievements  underlie  all  human  progress,  and  thus 
asserts  its  claims  ;  while  they,  in  deference  to  his  manliness  and  de- 
mand, seemingly  denude  themselves  of  all  semblance  of  Christian 
manhood,  in  declining  to  "  nail  to  the  mast  "  the  unfurled  flag  of 
God's  word,  under  which  they  profess  to  sail.  No  plea  of  constraint 
can  be  legitimately  offered  by  denominational  college  boards  to  their 
Faculties.  Even  the  corps  of  instruction  in  those  institutions  tram- 
melled by  State  entanglements  and  control,  have  not  used  the  liberty 
to  which  they  are  inalienably  entitled.  Were  the  presidents  of  the 
State  colleges  to  say  to  their  respective  boards.  *  We  can  no  longer 
retain  our  present  connection  with  the  institution,  unless  God's  word 
can  be  so  far  honored  as  to  have  a  place  in  its  curriculum  of  study. 
Our  Bible  teachings  will  be  no  more  sectarian  than  our  prayers.  If 
you  require  or  expect  their  daily  utterance,  why  refuse  us  and  our 
associates  the  Sabbath  opportunity,  for  a  fuller  and  more  satisfactory 
exposition  of  what  you  expect  us  to  daily  read,  at  the  opening  ex- 
ercises?" Such  logic  would  be  appreciated  and  such  homage  to 
principle  would  be  honored.  Such  frankness  and  loyalty  to  consci- 
entious conviction  would  both  win  the  victory  and  command  the 


COLLEGIATE  CONTROL  AND   CULTURE.  47 

profound  respect  of  the  most  sceptical  member  of  the  Board. 
Such  moral  intrepidity  would  be  worthy  of  a  Luther,  and  would  win 
a  Luthers'  crown.  No  board  would  venture  to  raise  against  itself 
the  cry  of  persecution.  The  people,  whether  pious  or  not,  would 
honor  such  a  man,  and  his  tenure  of  office  would  be  much  more 
secure  after  than  before  such  a  declaration. 

Let  it  not  be  said,  this  is  mere  heroic  speculation,  for,  back  of  it, 
is  a  grand  analogous  historic  fact,  to  illustrate  and  show,  that  the  sug- 
gestion has  something  more  real  and  substantial  than  a  mere  hypo- 
thetical basis.  The  noble  example  of  the  first  President  of  Miami 
University,  in  reference  to  the  Bible's  position  in  its  curriculum,  is 
worthy  of  all  commendation  and  consideration  by  those  presiding 
over  similar  institutions.  Dr.  Bishop  took  the  position,  that  God's 
word  should  be  honored  in  that  University,  and  he  was  never  dis- 
turbed in  carrying  out  his  views,  which  took  shape  in  a  biblical  ex- 
ercise every  Sabbath  morning,  in  each  class,  conducted  by  himself  and 
associates,  which  was  continued  by  his  successors,  till  the  temporary 
suspension  of  the  University,  for  financial  reasons;  and  this  will 
doubtless  share  in  its  no  remote  resurrection.  Whether  any  other 
college  has  as  good  a  record,  in  respect  to  the  Bible,  as  a  bona  fide 
text  book  in  its  course  of  study,  we  know  not,  but  are  disposed  to 
think  that  Miami's  record  ante-dates  that  of  all  others,  East  or 
West. 

We  rejoice  to  learn  from  her  current  catalogue,  that  our  Alma 
Mater  has  taken  this  New  Departure,  and  that  hereafter,  our  younger 
brethren  will  enjoy  a  culture  that  it  was  not  our  lot  to  receive,  but  of 
which  we  sorely  felt  the  need.  Most  gladly  would  we,  when  in  col- 
lege, have  responded  to  a  summons  to  a  biblical  exercise  every  Sab- 
bath morning,  under  the  guidance  of  our  regular  instructors.  We 
hope  that  her  present  example  may  be  imitated  by  all  her  New 
England  sisters,  and  also,  that  the  day  is  not  far  distant,  when  no  one 
of  the  whole  American  fraternity  of  colleges  will  send  forth  its  quota 
of  graduates,  without  including  biblical  knowledge  among  the  "  pre- 
meritis  "  for  which  she  bestows  her  honors  and  parting  benediction. 
Nay  more,  parents  and  patrons  may  justly  expect  that  this  New  De- 
parture will  be  promptly  taken,  and  their  demands  be  righteously  and 
strenuously  urged,  till  the  point  is  gained  and  the  policy  inaugurated, 
to  the  joy  of  every  Christian  patriot  and  parent  in  the  land. 

In  the  conduct  of  this  discussion,  we  have  preferred,  in  the  line  of 
illustrative  argument,  to  use  materials  of  the  concrete  and  actual 


48  NEW    DEPARTURES   IN 

type,  rather  than  of  the  abstract  and  hypothetical.  All  the  points 
presented  are  both  practical  and  practicable'.  Nay  more,  they  are 
just  and  equitable  in  their  demands.  Although  some  few  Institu- 
tions have  adapted  the  New  Departure,  and  are  working  their  way  to 
a  harmonious  and  symmetrical  adjustment  of  this  new  element  in 
their  curricula,  yet  there  still  remain  large  portions  of  the  promised 
land  to  be  possessed.  We  therefore  commend  to  the  favorable 
consideration  of  the  collegiate  Joshuas  of  the  country,  the  immediate 
occupation  of  the  entire  tribal  allotment  of  their  inheritance,  leav- 
ing no  stronghold  of  the  Philistines  unoccupied,  from  which  they 
might  hereafter  be  annoyed  ;  and  beg  them  not  to  let  ignorance  of 
God's  Word,  on  the  part  of  their  present  and  future  charge,  become 
as  "  pricks  in  their  own  eyes',  and  thorns  in  the  side  "  of  the  body 
politic,  a  just  and  manifest  retribution  for  persistent  disregard  both 
of  God's  promises  and  warnings. 

How  can  those  lessons  of  practical  life,  so  profusely  scattered 
through  the  historical  and  biographical  portions  of  the  scriptures,  be 
taught  the  educated  youth  of  this  land,  unless  the  Bible  has  a  recog- 
nised, bonafide  position  in  our  college  curricula?  What  more  worthy 
textbook,  both  for  teachers  and  taught,  could  be  used  ?  Its  intro- 
duction; as  such,  will  be  perfectly  feasible,  wherever  there  is  a  prompt- 
ing disposition  on  the  part  of  boards  of  control  and  instruction. 
Inaction  in  the  premises  will  'be  rightly  understood  by  the  public, 
and  its  real  animus  be  appreciated. 

An  hour's  careful  study  and  recitation  every  Sabbath,  under  the 
guidance  of  teachers,  in  earnest  and  lively  sympathy  with  the  work, 
would  put  every  Freshman  class  in  possession  of  the  great  leading 
historical  and  biographical  facts  of  the  Pentateuch  ;  a  like  appropria- 
tion of  time  and  teaching  would  make  each  Sophomore  class  more  or 
less  familiar  with  the  Gospel  history  and  its  wonderful  exhibit  of 
God's  infinite  wisdom,  love  and  mercy.  The  remainder  of  the  Old 
Testament  history  and  biography,  would  furnish  ample  material  for 
the  Junior's  study  and  mastery,  and  Seniors  would  find  the  books  of 
Job,  Psalms,  Proverbs  and  Ecclesiastes,  an  interesting  field  for  ex- 
ploration and  culture,  during  the  entire  period  of  their  college  life. 

There  is  one  significant  and  suggestive  fact  in  the  line  of  en- 
couragement and  assurance,  that  honest,  patient  and  persistent  labor, 
in  this  direction,  will  not  lose  its  reward.  We  have  in  mind  one  In- 
stitution, which  has  honored  God's  word  from  its  establishment  to 
the  present  time,  by  requiring  weekly  exercise  in  it,  by  each  and  all 


COLLEGIATi:  CONTROL  AND  CULTURE.  49 

its  classes,  and  which  has  been,  almost  invariably,  the  scene  of  an- 
nual displays  of  God's  gracious  visitation.  This  fidelity  to  truth  and 
its  accompanying  experience,  has  no  slight  connection  with  the  potent 
fact  that  its  number  of  students,  academic  and  collegiate,  surpasses 
that  of  any  other  collegiate  institution  in  the  land,  and  the  underly- 
ing cause  of  this  popular  favor,  will  not  be  difficult  to  divine,  from  the 
aforesaid  antecedents. 

These  considerations  ought  to  have  weight  with  college  boards, 
and  be  a  sufficient  guaranty,  both  of  the  wisdom  and  duty  of  im- 
mediately inaugurating  the  new  policy,  and  supplementing  their 
course  of  study  with  the  proposed  addendum.  If  the  above  inter- 
esting and  suggestive  fact  is  a  legitimate  sequence  of  a  systematic 
and  patient  study  of  the  Bible,  the  reverse  moral  condition  and  ex- 
perience, of  those  institutions,  whose  emeutes  and  disorders  have 
given  them  an  unenviable  notoriety,  may  be  suggestive  of  the  cause 
of  the  deplorable  contrast,  as  well  as  illustrative  of  the  Divine  utter- 
ance, "  Them  that  honor  me,  I  will  honor,  and  they  that  despise 
me  shall  be  lightly  esteemed." 

The  inauguration  of  the  New  Departures,  above  suggested,  will 
constitute  a  marked  and  memorable  era  in  collegiate  progress. 
When  the  students  in  our  American  colleges  are  taught  by  able  men, 
in  full  sympathy  with  the  true  character  of  their  mission,  in  all  the 
dignity  and  grandeur  of  its  results,  and  subjected  to  as  minute,  tho- 
rough and  daily  drill  as  the  proposed  classification  will  ensure,  then 
the  type  of  scholarship,  discipline  and  attainment  will  be  greatly  im- 
proved ;  and,  when  the  process  of  elimination  of  the  incompetent,  in- 
corrigible and  unworthy  is  promptly  and  wisely  carried  out,  a  higher 
grade  of  culture,  conduct  and  character  will  be  reached,  with  corre- 
sponding satisfaction  to  all  parties  concerned.  Firmness  and  fidelity 
to  the  dictates  of  wisdom  and  the  promptings  of  duty,  will  win  the 
confidence  of  the  public,  as  well  as  command  the  respect  even  of  the. 
subjects  of  discipline,  when  promptly  and  impartially  administered. 
Nothing  is  more  quickly  seen  by  students,  or  more  heartily  despised 
than  timidity  and  fickleness  in  the  administration  of  college  govern- 
ment, whose  legitimate  sequents  are,  laxness  on  the  one  hand,  and 
rashness  on  the  other.  Each  and  both  are  a  weakness  and  calamity 
wherever  found. 

Broad  and  intelligent  views  on  all  that  pertains  to  higher  culture, 
clear  and  settled  convictions  as  to  the  best  methods  of  carrying  them 
out,  and  a  corresponding  purpose  and  independence  to  fully  and  fairly 


5O  NEW  DEPARTURES. 

test  them,  are  admirable  aids  to  Boards  of  Control,  both  as  to  the 
nature  of  their  own  duty  and  responsibility  and,  to  learn  to  estimate 
the  animus  and  worth  of  popular  demand,  as  well  as  to  resist  outside 
clamor,  pressure  and  dictation,  whether  individual  or  associated. 
Vigilance,  activity  and  a  firm  adherence  to  conviction,  based  on  such 
views,  will  soon  detect  and  correct  oversight,  defects,  short  comings 
and  mistakes,  both  individual  and  corporate.  When  there  is  such 
firmness,  alertness  and  fidelity  at  head  quarters,  they  will  be  seen 
and  felt  to  the  very  extremity  of  even  the  picket  line,  and  the  press 
will  have  less  occasion  to  chronicle  college  emuetes  and  outrages,  and 
the  public  less  cause  to  question  the  wisdom  or  competence  of  College 
Boards,  whether  of  Administration  or  Instruction. 


Here  it  seems  to  be  both  pertinent  and  proper  to  enquire,  Are 
such  trusts  always  administered,  to  the  full  extent  of  the  wisdom 
and  ability  of  those,  who,  by  the  acceptance  of  the  position,  pledge 
themselves  to  unswerving  fidelity  ?  Would  not  many  of  them  be 
both  startled  and  stimulated  to  greater  activity,  to  be  well  posted  in 
the  actual  status  of  their  charge,  not  only  of  its  financial  condition, 
but,  also,  of  the  competency  and  faithfulness  of  its  employees,  as  well 
as  ..he  character,  proficiency  and  promise  of  its  students,  at  least,  at 
the  close  of  each  annual  stage  of  their  progress,  were  their  venerable 
founders,  and  benefactors,  like  Moses  and  Elijah,  to  stand  in  their 
midst  and  ask,  Are  you  making  the  colleges  all  that  you  would  justly 
expect,  and  indeed,  demand,  were  we  and  you  to  exchange  relation- 
ship to  them  ?  The  responsibility  of  trustees  is  none  the  less,  for  the 
lack  of  such  stimulating  interviews.  The  claim  is  as  real  and  valid 
as  though  audibly  announced,  and  should  be  so  recognized. 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW 


AN  INITIAL  FINE  OF  25  CENTS 

WILL  BE  ASSESSED  FOR  FAILURE  TO  RETURN 
THIS  BOOK  ON  THE  DATE  DUE.  THE  PENALTY 
WILL  INCREASE  TO  5O  CENTS  ON  THE  FOURTH 
DAY  AND  TO  $t.OO  ON  THE  SEVENTH  DAY 
OVERDUE. 


MAR  27    1S34 


lUN 


04035 

U.C.BERKELEY  LIBRARIES 


^^^->r>^l^  —  -? 

7  F\ 

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